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The History of Minnesota 



AND 



Tales of the Frontier. 



^c^'^ 

^1^9-y 



JUDGE CHARLES E. FLANDRAU 



if 



PUBI,ISHED BY 

E. W. PORTER, 

ST. PAUL,, MINNESOTA. 
1900. 






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THE PIONEER. 
I PRESS 
SAINT ' PAUL 
MDCCCXLXy 



S-o/fj 



iOcDication* 



Co tl)f ©la Settlers of iHinnrgota, tobo so totsclp latU tlje 

fouuBation of our state upon tbc broati anU enlmrtng; 

faaffts of frerDom anH toleration, anD tDl)o ()a))e eio 

ffallantlp UefcnUcU anU matntaineU it, tbi0 

I)i6torp is most sratefullp anH affrc-- 

tionatelp UeliirateU bp tht atttl)or. 

Charles; C% i?lant>rau. 



AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION. 



The original design of this history was, that it should 
accompany and form part of a book called the "En- 
cyclopedia of Biography of Minnesota." It was so 
published, and as that work was very large and expen- 
sive, it was confined almost exclusively to its subscrib- 
ers, and did not reach the general public. Many re- 
quests were made to the author to present it to the public 
in a more popular and readable form, and he decided to 
publish it in a book of the usual library size, and dispose 
of it at a price which would place it within the reach of 
everyone desirous of reading it. As the history is written 
in the most compendious form consistent with a full pre- 
sentation and discussion of all the facts concerning the 
creation and growth of the state, it was estimated that 
it would not occupy sufficient space in print to make a 
volume of the usual and proper size. The author there- 
fore decided to accompany it with a series of "Frontier 
Stories," written by himself at different times during his 
long residence in the Northwest, which embrace his- 
torical events, personal adventures, and amusing inci- 
dents. He believes these stories will lend interest and 
pleasure to the volume. 

THE AUTHOR. 



CONTENTS. 



HISTORY. 

Page. 

Opening Statement 2 

Legendary and Aboriginal Era 3 

Fort Snelling 14 

Selkirk Settlement 20 

George Catlin 25 

Featherstonehaugh 25 

Schoolcraft; Source of Mississippi 26 

Elevations in Minnesota 28 

Nicollet 28 

Missions 30 

Indiana 2i^ 

Territorial Period 43 

Education 49 

First Territorial Government 52 

Courts 54 

First Territorial Legislature 58 

Immigration 62 

The Panic of 1857 68 

Land Titles 69 

The First Newspaper 70 

Banks y^ 

The Fur Trade 75 

Pemmican .... 80 

Transportation and Express 81 

Lumber 83 

Religion 85 

Railroads gi 

The First Railroad Actually Built loi 

The Spirit Lake Massacre 102 

The Constitutional Convention 109 

Attempt to Remove the Capital 115 

Census 117 

Grasshoppers 117 

Militia 120 



vi Contents. 

Page. 

The Wright County War 122 

The Civil War 123 

The Third Regiment 128 

The Indian War of 1862 and following years 135 

The Attack on Fort Ridgely 148 

Battle of New Ulni 150 

Battle of Birch Coulie 159 

Occurrences in Meeker County and Vicinity 161 

Protection of the Southern Frontier 162 

Colonel Sibley Moves upon the Enemy 166 

Battle of Wood Lake 169 

Fort Abercrombie 171 

Camp Release 174 

Trial of the Indians 1 75 

Execution of 38 Condemned Indians 180 

The Campaign of 1863 182 

Battle of Big Mound 184 

Battle of Dead Bufifalo Lake 185 

Battle of Stony Lake 186 

Campaign of 1864 187 

A Long Period of Peace and Prosperity 193 

Introduction of New Process of Milling Wheat 193 

The Discovery of Iron 196 

Commerce Through St. Mary's Falls Canal 199 

Agriculture 200 

Dairying 201 

University of Minnesota and School of Agriculture 203 

The Minnesota State Agricultural Society 205 

The Minnesota Soldiers' Home 207 

Other State Institutions 208 

Minnesota Institute for Defectives 209 

State School for Dependent and Neglected Children 210 

The Minnesota State Training School 211 

The Minnesota State Reformatory 212 

The Minnesota State Prison 213 

The Minnesota Historical Society 213 

State Institutions Miscellaneous in Character 215 

State Finances 217 

The Monetary and Business Flurry of 1873 and Panic of '93. . 218 

Minor Happenings 221 

The War with Spain 225 

The Indian Battle of Leech Lake 229 



Contents. vii 

Page. 

Population 234 

The State Flag 236 

The Official Flower of the State, and its Method of Selection. 237 

Origin of the Name "Gopher State" 242 

State Parks 245 

Politics 248 

Bibliography 253 



FRONTIER TALES. 

Wolf Hunting in Bed 269 

The Poisoned Whisky 275 

Fun in a Blizzard , 281 

Law and Latin 288 

Indian Strategy 291 

The First Election Returns from Pembina 296 

A Frontier Story, which contains a Robbery, Two Deser- 
tions, a Capture and a Suicide 303 

The Pony Express 310 

Kissing Day 316 

A Political Ruse 320 

The Hardships of Early Law Practice 324 

Temperance at Traverse 329 

Win-ne-muc-ca's Gold Mine 333 

A Unique Political Career 340 

La Crosse 345 

Making a Post Office 350 

The Courage of Conviction -354 

How the Capital was Saved 358 

An Editor Incog 365 

The Ink-pa-du-ta War 370 

Muscular Legislation 378 

The Virgin Feast 3S3 

The Aboriginal War Correspondent 387 

Bred in the Bone 391 

An Accomplished Rascal 396 

An Advocate's Opinion of His Own Eloquence is Not Always 

Reliable 400 

A Momentous Meeting 402 

Primitive Justice 406 



HISTORY OF MINNESOTA. 



BY JUDGE CHARLES E. FLANDRAU. 



It has been a little over fifty years since the organi- 
zation of the Territory of Minnesota, which at its birth 
was a very small and unimportant creation, but which 
in its half century of growth has expanded into one 
of the most brilliant and promising stars upon the 
union of our flag; so that its history must cover ev- 
ery subject, moral, physical and social, that enters into 
the composition of a first-class progressive Western 
state, which presents a pretty extensive field ; but there 
is also to be considered a period anterior to civilization, 
which may be called the aboriginal and legendary era, 
which abounds with interesting matter, and to the gen- 
eral reader is much more attractive than the prosy sub- 
jects of agriculture, finance and commerce. 

Having lived in the state through nearly the whole 
period of Minnesota's political existence, and having 
taken part in most of the leading events in her history, 
both savage and civilized, I propose to treat the various 
subjects that compose her history in a narrative and col- 
loquial manner that may not rise to the dignity of his- 
tory, but which, I think, while giving facts, will not de- 



2 History of Minnesota. 

tract from the interest or pleasure of the reader. If I 
should ill the course of my narrative so far forget myself 
as to indulge in a joke, or relate an illustrative anecdote, 
the reader must put up with it. 

Nature has been lavishly generous with Minnesota, 
— more so, perhaps, than with any state in the Union. 
Its surface is beautifully diversified between rolling prai- 
ries and immense forests of valuable timber. Rivers 
and lakes abound, and the soil is marvelous in its pro- 
ductive fertility. Its climate, taken the year round, sur- 
passes in all attractive features that of any part of the 
North American continent. There are more enjoyable 
days in the three hundred and sixty-five that compose 
the year than in any other country I have ever visited 
or resided in, and that embraces a good part of the 
world's surface. The salubrity of Minnesota is phe- 
nominal. There are absolutely no diseases indigenous 
to the state. The universally accepted truth of this 
fact is found in a saying, which used to be general 
among- the old settlers, "that there is no excuse for any- 
one dying in Minnesota, and that only two men ever did 
die there, one of whom was hanged for killing the other." 

The resources of Minnesota principally consist of the 
products of the farm, the mine, the dairy, the quarry and 
the forest, and its industries of a vast variety of manu- 
factures of all kinds and characters, both great and small, 
the leading ones being flour and lumber ; to which, of 
course, must be added the enormous carrying trade 
which grows out of, and is necessary to the successful 
conduct of such resources and industries, — all of which 
subjects will be treated of in their appropriate places. 

With these prefatory suggestions I will proceed to 
the history, beginning with the 



History of Minnesota. 3 

legendary and aboriginal era. 

Until a very few years ago it has been generally ac- 
cepted as a fact that Louis Hennepin, a Franciscan priest 
of the Recollect Order, was the first white man who en- 
tered the present boundaries of Minnesota; but a recent 
discovery has developed the fact that there has reposed 
in the archives of the Bodleian Library and British Mu- 
seum for more than two hundred years manuscript ac- 
counts of voyages made as far back as 1652 by two 
Frenchmen, named respectively Radison and Grosel- 
liers, proving that they traveled among the North Amer- 
ican Indians from the last named date to the year 1684, 
during which time they visited what is now Minnesota. 
It is also a well authenticated fact that Du Luth antici- 
pated Hennepin at least one year, and visited Mille Lacs 
in 1679, ^^d there, on the southwest side of the lake, 
found a large Sioux town, called Kathio, from which 
point he wrote to Frontenac. on the second day of July, 
1679, that he had caused his majesty's arms to be planted 
in Kathio, where no Frenchman had ever been. Hen- 
nepin did not arrive until 1680. But as the exploits of 
these earlier travelers left no trace that can in any im- 
portant way influence the history of our state beyond 
challenging the claim of priority so long enjoyed by 
Hennepin, I will simply mention the fact of their advent 
without comment, referring the curious reader for the 
proof of these matters to the library of the Minnesota 
Historical Society, where the details can be found. 

Hennepin was with La Salle at Fort Creve-Coeur, 
near Lake Peoria, in what is now Illinois, in 1680. La 
Salle was the superior of the exploring party of which 
young Hennepin was a member, and in February, 1680, 
he selected Hennepin and two traders for the arduous 



4 History of Minnesota. 

and dangerous undertaking of exploring the unknown 
regions of the Upper Mississippi. Hennepin was very 
ambitious to become a great explorer, and was filled with 
the idea that by following the water courses he would 
find a passage to the sea and Japan. 

On the 29th of February, 1680, he, with two voy- 
ageurs, in a canoe, set out on his voyage of discovery. 
When he reached the junction of the Illinois river with 
the Mississippi in March, he was detained by floating 
ice until near the middle of that month. He then com- 
menced to ascend the Mississippi, which was the first 
time it was ever attempted by a civilized man. On the 
nth of April they were met by a large war party of Da- 
kotas, which filled thirtv-three canoes, who opened fire 
on them with arrows ; but hostilities were soon stopped, 
and Hennepin and his party were taken prisoners, and 
made to return with their captors to their villages. 

Hennepin, in his narrative, tells a long story of the 
difficulties he encountered in saying his prayers, as the 
Indians thought he was working some magic on them, 
and they followed him into the woods, and never let him 
out of their sight. Judging from many things that ap- 
pear in his narrative, which have created p^reat doubt 
about his veracity, it probably would not have been very 
much of a hardship if he had failed altogether in the per- 
formance of this pious duty. Many of the Indians, who 
had lost friends and relatives in their fights with the 
Miamis, were in favor of killing the white men, but bet- 
ter counsels prevailed, and they were spared. The hope 
of opening up a trade intercourse with the French large- 
ly entered into the decision. 

While traveling up the river one of the white men 
shot a wild turkey with his gun, which produced a great 
sensation among the Indians, and was the first time a 



History of Minnesota. 5 

Dakota ever heard the discharge of firearms. They 
called the gun Maza wakan, or spirit iron. 

The party camped at Lake Pepin, and on the nine- 
teenth day of their captivity they arrived in the vicinity 
of where St. Paul now stands. From this point they 
proceeded by land to Mille Lacs, where they were taken 
by the Indians to their several villages, and were kindly 
treated. These Indians were part of the band of Dakotas, 
called M'day-wa-kon-ton-wans, or the Lake Villagers. 
I spell the Indian names as they are now known, and not 
as they are given in Hennepin's narrative, although it is 
quite remarkable how well he preserved them with sound 
as his only guide. 

While at this village the Indians gave Hennepin 
some steam baths, which he says were very effective in 
removing all traces of soreness and fatigue, and in a 
short time made him feel as well and strong as he ever 
was. I have often witnessed this medical process among 
the Dakotas. They make a small lodge of poles covered 
with a bufifalo skin, or something similar, and place in 
it several large boulders heated to a high degree. The 
patient then enters naked, and pours water over the 
stones, producing a dense steam, which envelopes him 
and nearly boils him. He stands it as long as he can, 
and then undergoes a thorough rubbing. The effect is 
to remove stiffness and soreness produced by long jour- 
neys on foot, or other serious labor. 

Hennepin tells in a very agreeable way many things 
that occurred during his captivity; how astonished the 
Indians were at all the articles he had. A mariner's com- 
pass created much wonder, and an iron pot with feet like 
lions' paws they would not touch with the naked hand ; 
but their astonishment knew no bounds when he told 
them that the whites only allowed a man one wife, and 



6 History of IMinnesota. 

that his rehgious office did not permit him to have any. 

I might say here that the Dakotas are polyga- 
mous, as savage people generally are, and that my ex- 
perience proves to me that missionaries who go among 
these people make a great mistake in attacking this in- 
stitution until after they have ingratiated themselves 
with them, and then, by attempting any reform beyond 
teaching monogamy in the future. Nothing will assure 
the enmity of a savage more than to ask him to discard 
any of his Avives, and especially the mother of his chil- 
dren. While I would be the last man on earth to ad- 
vocate polygamy, I can truthfully say that one of the 
happiest and most harmonious families I ever knew was 
that of the celebrated Little Crow (who, during all my 
official residence among the Dakotas, was my principal 
advisor and ambassador, and who led the massacre in 
1862). who had four wives ; but there was a point in his 
favor, as they were all sisters. 

Hennepin passed the time he spent in Minnesota in 
baptizing Indian babies and picking up all the informa- 
tion he could find. His principal exploit was the nam- 
ing of the Falls of St. Anthony, which he called after his 
patron saint, Saint Anthony of Padua. 

That Hennepin was thoroughly convinced that there 
was a northern passage to the sea which could be reached 
by ships, is proven by the following extract from his 
work : 

"For example, we may be transported into the Pa- 
cific sea by rivers, which are large and capable of carry- 
ing great vessels, and from thence it is very easy to go to 
China and Japan without crossing the equinoctial line, 
and in all probability Japan is on the same continent as 
America." 



History of Minnesota. 7 

Our early visitor evidently had very confused ideas 
on matters of geography. 

The first account of his adventures was published by 
him in 1683, and was quite trustworthy, and it is much 
to be regretted that he was afterwards induced to publish 
another edition in Utrecht, in 1689, which was filled with 
falsehoods and exap-o-erations, which brought upon him 
the censure of the king of France. He died in obscuri- 
ty, unregretted. The county of Hennepin is named for 
him. 

Other Frenchmen visited Minnesota shortly after 
Hennepin for the purpose of trade with the Indians and 
the extension of the territory of New France. In 1689 
Nicholas Perot was established at Lake Pepin, with quite 
a large body of men, engaged in trade with the Indians. 
On the 8th of May, 1689, Perot issued a proclamation 
from his post on Lake Pepin, in which he formally took 
possession in the name of the king of all the countries 
inhabited by the Dakotas, "and of which they are pro- 
prietors." ' 

This post was the first French establishment in Min- 
nesota. It was called Fort Bon Secours, afterwards Fort 
Le Sueur, but on later maps Fort Perot. 

In 1695 Le Sueur built the second post in Minnesota, 
between the head of Lake Pepin and the mouth of the 
St. Croix. In July of that year he took a party of Ojib- 
ways and one Dakota to Montreal, for the purpose of im- 
pressing upon them the importance and strength of 
France. Here large bodies of troops were maneuvered 
in their presence, and many speeches made by both the 
French and the Indians. Friendly and commercial re- 
lations were established. 

Le Sueur, some time after, returned to Minnesota 
and explored St. Peter's river (now the Minnesota) as 



8 History of Minnesota. 

far as the mouth of the Bkie Earth. Here he built a log 
fort, and called it L'Hullier. and made some excavations 
in search of copper ore. He sent several tons of a green 
substance which he found, and supposed to be copper, 
to France, but it was undoubtedly a colored clay that is 
found in that region, and is sometimes used as a rough 
paint. He is supposed to be the first man who supplied 
the Indians with guns. Le Sueur kept a journal in which 
he gave the best description of the Dakotas written in 
those early times, and was a very reliable man. Minne- 
sota has a county and a city named for him. 

Many other Frenchmen visited Minnesota in early 
days, among whom was Du Luth ; but as they were sim- 
ply traders, explorers and priests, among the Indians, it 
is hardly necessary in a work of this character to trace 
their exploits in detail. While they blazed the trail for 
others, they did not, to any great extent, influence the 
future of the country, except by supplying a convenient 
nomenclature with which to designate localities, which 
has largely been drawn upon. Many of them, however, 
were good and devoted men, and earnest in their en- 
deavors to spread the gospel among the Indians. How 
well they succeeded, I will discuss when I speak of these 
savage men more particularly. 

The next arrival of sufificient importance to particu- 
larize was Jonathan Carver, He was born in Connecti- 
cut in 1732. His father was a justice of the peace, which 
in those days was a more important position than it is 
now regarded. They tried to make a doctor of him, and 
he studied medicine just long enough to discover that 
the profession was uncongenial, and abandoned it. At 
the age of eighteen he purchased an ensign's commission 
in a Connecticut regiment, raised during the French 
war. He came very near losing his life at the massacre 



History of Minnesota. 9 

of Fort William Henry, but escaped, and after the 
declaration of peace between France and England, in 
1763, he conceived the project of making an exploration 
of the Northwest. 

It should be remembered that the French sovereign- 
ty over the Northwest ceased in 1763, when, by a treaty 
made in Versailles, between the French and the English, 
all the lands embraced in what is now Minnesota were 
ceded by the French to England, so Carver came as an 
Englishman into EngHsh territory. 

Carver left Boston in the month of June, 1766, and 
proceeded to Mackinaw, then the most distant British 
post, where he arrived in the month of August. He 
then took the usual route to Green Bay. He proceeded 
by the way of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers to the Mis- 
sissippi. He found a considerable town on the Missis- 
sippi, near the mouth of the Wisconsin, called by the 
French ''La Prairie les Chiens," which is now Prairie du 
Chien, or the Dog Prairie, named after an Indian chief 
who went by the dignified name of "The Dog." He 
speaks of this town as one where a great central fur trade 
was carried on by the Indians. From this point he com- 
menced his voyage up the Mississippi in a canoe, and 
when he reached Lake Pepin he claims to have discov- 
ered a system of earthworks, which he describes as of 
the most scientific military construction, and inferred 
that they had been at some time the intrenchments of a 
people well versed in the arts of war. It takes very lit- 
tle to excite an enthusiastic imagination into the belief 
that it has found what it has been looking for. 

He found a cave in what is now known as Dayton's 
Bluff in St. Paul, and describes it as immense in extent, 
and covered with Indian hieroglyphics, and speaks of a 
burying place at a little distance from the cavern, — In- 



10 History of Minnesota. 

dian Mound park evidently, — and made a short voyage 
up the Minnesota river, which he says the Indians called 
"Wadapaw Mennesotor." This probably is as near as 
he could catch the name by sound ; it should be, Wak-pa 
Minnesota. 

After his voyage to the falls and up the Minnesota, 
he returned to his cave, where he says there were assem- 
bled a great council of Indians, to which he was admit- 
ted, and witnessed the burial ceremonies, which he de- 
scribes as follows: 

"After the breath is departed, the body is dressed in 
the same attire it usually wore, his face is painted, and he 
is seated in an erect posture on a mat or skin, placed in 
the middle of the hut, with his weapons by his side. His 
relatives, seated around, each harangues the deceased; 
and if he has been a great warrior, recounts his heroic 
actions nearly to the following purport, which in the In- 
dian language is extremely poetical and pleasing : 

" 'You still sit among us, brother ; your person re- 
tains its usual resemblance, and continues similar to 
ours, without any visible deficiency except it has lost the 
power of action. But whither is that breath flown which 
a few hours ago sent up smoke to the Great Spirit? Why 
are those lips silent that lately delivered to us expres- 
sions and pleasing language? Why are those feet mo- 
tionless that a short time ago were fleeter than the deer 
on yonder mountains? Why useless hang those arms 
that could climb the tallest tree or draw the toughest 
bow? Alas ! Every part of that frame which we lately 
beheld with admiration and wonder is now become as 
inanimate as it was three hundred years ago! We will 
not, however, bemoan thee as if thou wast forever lost 
to us, or that thy name would be buried in oblivion. Thy 
soul vet lives in the great country of spirits with those 



History of Minnesota. 11 

of thy nation that have gone before thee, and though we 
are left behind to perpetuate thy fame, we shall one day 
join thee. 

" 'Actuated by the respect we bore thee whilst living, 
we now come to tender thee the last act of kindness in 
our power ; that thy body might not lie neglected on the 
plain and become a prey to the beasts of the field and th^ 
birds of the air, we will take care to lay it with those of 
thy ancestors who have gone before thee, hoping at the 
same time that vthy spirit will feed with their spirits, and 
be ready to receive ours when we shall also arrive at the 
great country of souls.' " 

I have heard many speeches made by the descend- 
ants of these same Indians, and have many times ad- 
dressed them on all manner of subjects, but I never 
heard anything quite so elegant as the oration put into 
their mouths by Carver. I have always discovered that 
a good interpreter makes a good speech. On one occa- 
sion, when a delegation of Pillager Chippewas was in 
Washington to settle some matters with the govern- 
ment, they wanted a certain concession which the Indian 
commissioner would not allow, and they appealed to the 
president, who was then Franklin Pierce. Old Flat- 
mouth, the chief, presented the case. Paul Beaulieu in- 
terpreted it so feelingly that the president surrendered 
without a contest. After informing him as to the dis- 
puted point, he added : 

"Father, you are great and powerful. You live in a 
beautiful home where the bleak winds never nenetrate. 
Your hunger is always appeased with the choicest foods. 
Your heart is kept warm by all these blessings, and 
would bleed at the sight of distress among your red chil- 
dren. Father, we are poor and weak. We live far away 
in the cheerless north, in bark lodges. We are often 



12 History of Minnesota. 

cold and hungry. Father, what we ask is to you as 
nothing, while to us it is comfort and happiness. Give 
it to us, and when you stand upon your grand portico 
some bright winter night, and see the northern lights 
dancing in the heavens, it will be the thanks of your red 
children ascending to the Great Spirit for your goodness 
to them." 

Carver seems to have been a sagacious observer and 
a man of great foresight. In speaking of the advantages 
of the country, he says that the future population will 
be "able to convey their produce to the seaports with 
great facility, the current of the river from its source to 
its entrance into the Gulf of Mexico being extremely fa- 
vorable for doing this in small craft. This might also in 
time be facilitated by canals, or short cuts, and a com- 
munication opened with New York by way of the 
Lakes." 

He was also impressed with the idea that a route 
could be discovered by way of the Minnesota river, 
which "would open a passage for conveying intelligence 
to China and the English settlements in the East Indies." 

The nearest to a realization of this theory that I have 
known was the sending of the stern-wheeled steamer 
"Freighter" on a voyage up the Minnesota to Winnipeg 
some time in the early fifties. She took freight and pas- 
sengers for that destination, but never reached the Red 
River of the North. 

After the death of Carver his heirs claimed that, while 
at the great cave on the ist of May. 1767, the Indians 
made him a large grant of land, which would cover St. 
Paul and a large part of Wisconsin, and several attempts 
were made to have it ratified by both the British and 
American governments, but without success. Carver 
does not mention this grant in his book, nor has the 



History of Minnesota. 13 

original deed ever been found. A copy, however, was 
produced, and as it was the first real estate transaction 
ever had in Minnesota, I will set it out in full. 

"To Jonathan Carver, a Chief under the Most 
Mighty and Potent George the Third, King of the Eng- 
lish and other nations, the fame of whose warriors has 
reached our ears, and has been fully told us by our good 
brother Jonathan aforesaid, whom we all rejoice to have 
come among us and bring us good news from his coun- 
try : 

"WE, Chiefs of the Nandowessies, who have here- 
unto set our seals, do, by these presents, for ourselves 
and heirs forever, in return for the aid and good services 
done by the said Jonathan to ourselves and allies, give, 
grant and convey to him, the said Jonathan, and to his 
heirs and assigns forever, the whole of a certain Terri- 
tory or tract of land, bounded as follows, viz. : From 
the Falls of St. Anthony, running on east bank of the 
Mississippi, nearly southeast as far as Lake Pepin, where 
the Chippewa joins the Mississippi, and from thence 
eastward five days' travel accounting twenty English 
miles per day, and from thence again to the Falls of St. 
Anthony on a direct straight line. We do for ourselves, 
heirs and assigns, forever give unto said Jonathan, his 
heirs and assigns, with all the trees, rocks and rivers 
therein, reserving the sole liberty of hunting and fishing 
on land not planted or improved by the said Jonathan, 
his heirs and assigns, to which we have afifixed our re- 
spective seals. 

"At the Great Cave, May ist, 1767. 

(Signed) "Hawnopawjatin, 

"Otohtongoonlisheaw." 

This alleged instrument bears upon its face many 
marks of suspicion, and was very properly rejected by 



14 History of Minnesota. 

General Leavenworth, who, in 1821, made a report of his 
investigations in regard to it to the commissoner of the 
general land office. 

The war between the Chippewas and the Dakotas 
continued to rage with varied success, as it has since time 
immemorial. It v/as a bitter, cruel war, waged against 
the race and blood, and each successive slaughter only 
increased the hatred and heaped fuel upon the fire. As 
an Indian never forgives the killing of a relative, and as 
the particular murderer, as a general thing, was not 
known on either side, each death was charged up to the 
tribe. These wars, although constant, had very little in- 
fluence on the standing or progress of the country, ex- 
cept so far as they may have proved detrimental or bene- 
ficial to the fur trade prosecuted by the whites. The 
first event after the appearance of Jonathan Carver that 
can be considered as materially affecting the history of 
Minnesota was the location and erection of Fort Snell- 
ing, of w hich event I will give a brief account. 

FORT SNELLING. 

In 1805 the government decided to procure a site on 
which to build a fort somewhere on the waters of the 
upper Mississippi, and sent Lieut. Zebulon Montgom- 
ery Pike of the army to explore the country, expel Brit- 
ish traders who might be violating the laws of the United 
States, and to make treaties with the Indians. 

On the 2 1 St of September, 1805, he encamped on 
what is now known as Pike Island, at the junction of the 
Mississippi and Minnesota, then St. Peter's river. Two 
days later he obtained, by treaty with the Dakota nation, 
a tract of land for a military reservation, with the follow- 
ing boundaries, extending from "below the confluence 
of the Mississippi and St. Peter's, up the Mississippi, to 



History of Minnesota. 15 

include the Falls of St. Anthony, extending nine miles 

on each side of the river." The United States paid taia 'ti^o o '^ 

thousand dollars for this land. 

The reserve thus purchased was not used for military 
purposes until Feb. lo, 1819, at which time the govern- 
ment gave the following reasons for erecting a fort at 
this point : "To cause the power of the United States 
government to be fully acknowledged by the Indians 
and settlers of the Northwest, to prevent Lord Selkirk, 
the Hudson Bay Company and others from establishing 
trading posts on United States territory, to better the 
conditions of the Indians, and to develop the resources of 
the country." Part of the Fifth United States Infantry, 
commanded by Colonel Henry Leavenworth, was dis- 
patched to select a site and erect a post. They arrived 
at the St. Peter's river in September, 18 19, and camped 
on or near the spot where now (Stands Mendota. Dur- 
ing the winter of 1819-20 the troops were terribly af- 
flicted with scurv}^ General Sibley, in an address before 
the Minnesota Historical Society, in speaking of it, says : 
"So sudden was the attack that soldiers apparently in 
good health when they retired at night were found dead 
in the morning. One man who was relieved from his 
tour of sentinel duty, and had stretched himself upon a 
bench ; when he was called four hours later to resume his 
duties, he was found lifeless." 

In May, 1820, the command left their cantonment, 
crossed the St. Peter's and went into summer camp at a 
spring near the old Baker trading house, and about two 
miles above the present site of Fort Snelling. This was 
called "Camp Coldwater." 

During the isummer the men were busy in procuring 
logs and other material necessary for the work. The 
first site selected was where the present military ceme- 



16 History of Minnesota. 

tery stands, and the post was called "Fort St. Anthony;" 
but in August, 1820, Colonel Joshua Snelling of the 
Fifth United States Infantry arrived, and, on taking 
command, changed the site to where Fort Snelling now 
stands. Work steadily progressed until Sept. 10, 1820, 
when the corner stone of Fort St. Anthony was laid with 
all due ceremony. The first measured distance that was 
given between this new post and the next one down the 
river. Fort Crawford, where Prairie du Chien now 
stands, was 204 miles. The work was steadily pushed 
fonvard. The buildings were made of logs, and were 
first occupied in October, 1822. 

The first steamboat to arrive at the post was the 
"Virginia," in 1823. 

The first saw-mill in Minnesota was constructed by 
the troops in 1822, and the first lumber sawed on Rum 
river was for use in building the post. The mill site is 
now included within the corporate limits of Minneapolis, 

The post continued to be called Fort St. Anthony 
until 1824, when, upon the recommendation of General 
Scott, who inspected the fort, it was named Fort Snell- 
ing, in honor of its founder. 

In 1830 stone buildings were erected for a four-com- 
pany post; also, a stone hospital and a stone wall, nine 
feet high, surrounding the whole nost; but these im- 
provements were not actually completed until after the 
Mexican War. 

The Indian title to the military reservation does not 
seem to have been effectually acquired, notwithstanding 
the treaty of Lieutenant Pike, made with the Indians in 
1805, until the treaty with the Dakotas, in 1837, by 
whi.ch the Indian claim to all the lands east of the Mis- 
sissippi, including the reservation, ceased. 

In 1836, before the Indian title was finally acquired, 



History of Minnesota. 17 

quite a number of settlers loeated on the reservation on 
the left banic of the Mississippi. 

On Oct. 21, 1839, the president issued an order for 
their removal, and on the sixth day of May, 1840, some 
of the settlers were forcibly removed. 

In 1837 Mr. Alexander Faribault presented a claim 
for Pike Island, which was based upon a treaty made by 
him with the Dakotas in 1820. Whether his claim was 
allowed the records do not disclose, and it is unimpor- 
tant. 

On May 25, 1853, a military reservation for the fort 
was set ofif, by the president, of seven thousand acres, 
which in the following November was reduced to six 
thousand. 

In 1857 the secretary of war, pursuant to the authori- 
ty vested in him by act of congress, of March 3, 1857, 
sold the Fort Snelling reservation, excepting two small 
tracts, to Mr. Franklin Steele, who had long been sutler 
of the post, for the sum of ninety thousand dollars, 
which was to be paid in three installments. The first 
one of thirty thousand dollars was paid by Steele on July 
25, 1857, and he took possession, the troops being with- 
drawn. 

The fort was sold at private sale, and the price paid 
was, in my opinion, vastly more than it was worth ; but 
Mr. Steele had great hopes for the future of that locality 
as a site for a town, and was willing to risk the payment. 
The sale was made by private contract by Secretary 
Floyd, who adopted this manner because other reserva- 
tions had been sold at public auction, after full publica- 
tion of notice to the world, and had brought only a few 
cents per acre. The whole transaction was in perfect 
good faith, but it was attacked in congress, and an inves- 
tigation ordered, which resulted in suspending its con- 
2 



18 History of Minnesota. 

summation, and Mr. Steele did not pay the balance due. 
In i860 the Civil War broke out, and the fort was taken 
possession of by the government for use in fitting out 
Minnesota troops, and was held until the war ended. In 
1868 Mr. Steele presented a claim against the govern- 
ment for rent of the fort and other matters relating to it, 
which amounted to more than the price he agreed to pay 
for it. 

An act of congress, was passed on May 7, 1870, au- 
thorizing the secretary of war to settle the whole matter 
on principles of equity, keeping such reservation as was 
necessary for the fort. In pursuance of this act, a mili- 
tary board was appointed, and the whole controversy 
was arranged to the satisfaction of Mr. Steele and the 
government. The reservation was reduced to a little 
more than fifteen hundred acres. A grant of ten acres 
was made to the little Catholic church at Mendota, for a 
cemetery, and other small tracts were reserved about the 
Falls of Minnehaha and elsewhere, and all the balance 
was conveyed to Mr. Steele, he releasing the government 
from all claims and demands. The action of the secre- 
tary of war in carrying out this settlement was approved 
by the president in 1871. 

The fort was one of the best structures of the kind 
ever erected in the West. It was capable of accommo- 
dating five or six companies of infantry, was surrounded 
by a high stone wall, and protected at the only exposed 
approaches by stone bastions guarded by cannon and 
musketry. Its supnly of water was obtained from a well 
in the parade ground, near the sutler's store, which was 
sunk below the surface of the river. It was perfectly 
impregnable to any savage enemy, and in consequence 
was never called upon to stand a siege. 

Perched upon a prominent bluff at the confluence of 



History of Minnesota. 19 

the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, it has witnessed the 
changes that have gone on around it for three-quarters 
of a century, and seen the most extraordinary transfor- 
mations that have occurred in any similar period in the 
history of our country. When its corner stone was laid 
it formed the extreme frontier of the Northwest, with 
nothing but wild animals and wilder men within hun- 
dreds of miles in any direction. The frontier has receded 
to the westward until it has lost itself in the correspond- 
ing one being pushed from the Pacific to the east. The 
Indians have lost their splendid freedom as lords of a 
continent, and are prisoners, cribbed upon narrow reser- 
vations. The magnificent herds of buffalo that ranged 
from the British possessions to Texas have disappeared 
from the face of the earth, and nothing remains but the 
white man bearing his burden, which is constantly being 
made more irksome. To those who have played both 
parts in the moving drama, there is much food for 
thought. 

I devote so much space to Fort Snelling because it 
has always sustained the position of a pivotal center to 
Minnesota. In the infancy of society, it radiated the re- 
finement and elegance that leavened the country around. 
In hospitality its officers were never surpassed, and when 
danger threatened, its protecting arm assured safety. 
For many long years it was the first to welcome the in- 
comer to the country, and will ever be remembered by 
the old settlers as a friend. 

After the headquarters of the Department of Dakota 
was established at St. Paul, and when General Sherman 
was in command of the army, he thought that the offices 
should be at the fort, and removed them there. This 
caused the erection of the new administration building 
and the beautiful line of officers' quarters about a mile 



20 History of Minnesota. 

above the old walled structure, and led to its practical 
abandonment; but the change was soon found to be in- 
convenient in a business way, and the department head- 
quarters were restored to the city, where they still le- 
main. 

Since the fort was built nearly every ofificer in the old 
army, and many of those who have followed them, has 
been stationed at Snelling, and it was beloved by them 
all. 

The situation of the fort, now that the railroads have 
become the reliance of all transportation, both for speed 
and safety, is a most advantageous one from a military 
point of view. It is at the center of a railroad system 
that reaches all parts of the continent, and troops and 
munitions of war can be deposited at any point with the 
utmost dispatch. It is believed that it will not only be 
retained but enlarged. 

THE SELKIRK SETTLEMENT. 

Lord Selkirk, the checking of whose operations was 
among the reasons given for the erection of Fort Snell- 
ing, was a Scotch earl who was very wealthy and enthu- 
siastic on the subject of founding colonies in the North- 
western British possessions. He was a kind hearted but 
visionary man, and had no practical knowledge whatever 
on the subject of colonization in uncivilized countries. 
About the beginning of the nineteenth century he wrote 
several pamphlets, urging the importance of colonizing 
British emigrants on British soil to prevent them settling 
in the United States. In 1811 he obtained a grant of 
land from the Hudson Bay Company in the region of 
Lake Winnipeg, the Red River of the North and the 
Assinaboine, in what is now Manitoba. 

Previous to this time the inhabitants of this region, 



History of Minnesota. 21 

besides the Indians, were Canadians, who had intermin- 
gled with the savages, learning all their vices and none 
of their good traits. They were called "Gens Libre," free 
people, and were very proud of the title. Mr. Neill, in 
his history of Minnesota, in describing them, says they 
were fond of 

"Vast and sudden deeds of violence. 
Adventures wild and wonders of the moment." 

The offspring of their intercourse with the Indian 
women were numerous, and called "Bois Brules." They 
were a fine race of hunters, horsemen and boatmen, and 
possessed all the accomplishments of the voyageur. 
They spoke the language of both father and mother. 

In 1812 a small advance party of colonists arrived at 
the Red River of the North, in about latitude fifty de- 
grees north. They were, however, frightened away by a 
party of men of the Northwest Fur Company, dressed as 
Indians, and induced to take refuge at Pembina, in what 
is now Minnesota, where they spent the winter, suffering 
the greatest hardships. Many died, but the survivors re- 
turned in the spring to the colony, and made an effort to 
raise a crop ; but it was a failure, and they again passed 
the winter at Pembina. This was the winter of 1813-14. 
They again returned to the colony, in a very distressed 
and dilapidated condition, in the spring. 

By September, 181 5, the colony, which then num- 
bered about two hundred, was getting along quite pros- 
perously, and its future seemed auspicious. It was called 
"Kildonan," after a parish in Scotland in which the col- 
onists were born. 

The employes of the Northwest Fur Company were, 
however, very restive under anything that looked like 
improvement, and regarded it as a ruse of their rival, the 



22 History of Minnesota. 

Hudson Bay Company, to break up the lucrative busi- 
ness they were enjoying in the Indian trade. They re- 
sorted to all kinds of measures to get rid of the colonists, 
even to attempting to incite the Indians against them, 
and on one occasion, by a trick, disarmed them of their 
brass field pieces and other small artillery. Many of the 
disaffected Selkirkers deserted to the quarters of the 
Northwest Company. These annoyances were carried to 
the extent of an attack on the house of the governor, 
where four of the inmates were wounded, one of whom 
died. They finally agreed to leave, and were escorted 
to Lake Winnipeg, where they embarked in boats. Their 
improvements were all destroyed by the Northwest peo- 
ple. 

They were again induced to return to their colony 
lands by the Hudson Bay people, and did so in 1816, 
when they were reinforced by new colonists. Part of 
them wintered at Pembina in 18 16, but returned to the 
Kildonan settlement in the spring. 

• Lord Selkirk, hearing of the distressed condition of 
his colonists, sailed for New York, where he arrived in 
the fall of 181 5, and learned they had been compelled to 
leave the settlement. He proceeded to Montreal, where 
he found some of the settlers in the greatest poverty; 
but learning that some of them still remained in the col- 
ony, he sent an express to announce his arrival, and say 
that he would be Avith them in the spring. The news 
was sent by a colonist named Laquimonier, but he was 
waylaid, near Fond du Lac, and brutally beaten and 
robbed of his dispatches. Subsequent investigation 
proved that this was the work of the Northwest Com- 
pany. 

Selkirk tried to obtain military aid from the British 
authorities, but failed. He then engaged four offtcers 



History of Minnesota. 23 

and over one hundred privates who had served in the late 
war with the United States to accompany him to the Red 
river. He was to pay them, give them lands, and send 
them home if they wished to return. 

When he reached Sault Ste. Marie he heard that his 
colony had again been destroyed. 

War was raging between the Hudson Bay people and 
the Northwest Company, in which Governor Semple, 
chief governor of the factories and territories of the 
Hudson Bay Company was killed. Selkirk proceeded 
to Fort WilHam, on Lake Superior, and finally reached 
his settlement on the Red river. 

The colonists were compelled to pass the winter of 
1817 in hunting in Minnesota, and had a hard time of it. 
but in the spring they once more found their way home, 
and planted crops, but they were destroyed by grasshop- 
pers, which remained during the next year and ate up 
every growing thing, rendering it necessary that the col- 
onists should again resort to the buiTalo for subsistence. 

During the winter of 1819-20 a deputation of these 
Scotchmen came all the way to Prairie du Cliien on 
snowshoes for seed wheat, a distance of a thousand miles, 
and on the fifteenth day of April, 1820, left for the colony 
in three Mackinaw boats, carrying three hundred bushels 
of wheat, one hundred bushels of oats, and thirty bushels 
of peas. Being stopped by ice in Lake Pepin, they 
planted a May pole and celebrated May day on the ice. 
They reached home by way of the Minnesota river, with 
a short portage to Lake Traverse, the boats being 
moved on rollers, and thence down the Red River to 
Pembina, where they arrived in safety on the third day of 
June. This trip cost Lord Selkirk about six thousand 
dollars. 

Nothing: daunted bv the terrible sufiferinsfs of his 



24 History of Minnesota. 

colonists, and the immense expense attendant upon his 
enterprise, in 1820 he engaged Capt. R. May, who was 
a citizen of Berne, in Switzerland, but in the British 
service, to visit Switzerland and get recruits for his col- 
ony. The captain made the most exaggerated represen- 
tations of the advantages to be gained by emigrating to 
the colony, and induced many Swiss to leave their happy 
and peaceful homes to try their fortunes in the distant, 
dangerous and inhospitable regions of Lake Winnipeg. 
They knew nothing of the hardships in store for them, 
and were the least adapted to encounter them of any 
people in the world, as they were mechanics, whose 
business had been the delicate work of making watches 
and clocks. They arrived in 1821, and from year to year, 
after undergoing hardships that might have appalled the 
hardiest pioneer, their spirits drooped, they pined for 
home, and left for the south. At one time a party of 
two hundred and forty-three of them departed for the 
United States, and found homes at different points on 
the banks of the Mississippi. 

Before the eastern wave of immigration had ascended 
above Prairie du Chien, many Swiss had opened farms at 
and near St. Paul, and became the first actual settlers of 
the country. Mr. Stevens, in an address on the early 
history of Hennepin county, says that they were driven 
from their homes in 1836 and 1837 by the military at 
Fort Snelling, and is very severe on the autocratic con- 
duct of the officers of the fort, saying that the command- 
ing officers were lords of the North, and the subordinates 
were princes. I have no doubt they did not underrate 
their authority, but I think Mr. Stevens must refer to the 
removals that were made of settlers on the military reser- 
vation of which I have before spoken. 

The subject of the Selkirk colony cannot fail to in- 



History of Minnesota. 25 

terest the reader, as it was the first attempt to introduce 
into the great Northwest settlers for the purposes of 
peaceful agriculture, everybody else who had preceded 
them having been connected with the half-savage busi- 
ness of the Indian trade; and the reason I have dwelt 
so long upon the subject is, because these people, on 
their second emigration, furnished Minnesota with her 
first settlers, and curiously enough, they came from the 
north. 

Abraham Perry was one of these Swiss refugees from 
the Selkirk settlement. With his wife and two children, 
he first settled at Fort Snelling, then at St. Paul, and 
finally at Lake Johanna. His son Charles, who came 
with him, has, while I am writing, on the twenty-ninth 
day of July, 1899, just celebrated his golden wedding at 
the old homestead, at Lake Johanna, where they have 
ever since lived. They were married by the Right Rev- 
erend A. Ravoux, who is still living in St. Paul. Charles 
Perry is the only survivor of that ill-fated band of Sel- 
kirkers. 

GEORGE CATLIN. 

In 1835 George Catlin, an artist of merit, visited 
Minnesota, and made many sketches and portraits of 
Indians. His published statements after his departure 
about his adventures elicited much adverse criticism 
from the old settlers. 

FEATHERSTONEHAUGH. 

Featherstonehaugh, an Englishman, about the same 
time, under the direction of the United States govern- 
ment, made a slight geological survey of the Minnesota 
valley, and on his return to England he wrote a book 
which reflected unjustly upon the gentlemen he met in 



26 History of Minnesota. 

Minnesota; but not much was thought of it, because un- 
til recently such has been the English custom. 

SCHOOLCRAFT AND THE SOURCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 

In 1832 the United States sent an embassy, com- 
posed of thirty men, under Henry R. Schoolcraft, then 
Indian Agent at Sault Ste. Marie, to visit the Indians of 
the Northwest, and, when advisable, to make treaties 
with them. They had a guard of soldiers, a physician, an 
interpreter, and the Rev. William T. Boutwell, a mis- 
sionary at Leech Lake. They were supplied with a large 
outfit of provisions, tobacco and trinkets, which were 
conveyed in a bateau. They travelled in several large 
bark canoes. They went to Fond du Lac, thence up the 
St. Louis river, portaged round the falls, thence to the 
nearest point to Sandy lake, thence up the Mississippi to 
Leech lake. While there, they learned from the Indians 
that Cass lake, which for some time had been reputed 
to be the source of the Mississippi, was not the real 
source, and they determined to solve the problem of 
where the real source was to be found, and what it was. 

I may say here that, in 1819, Gen. Lewis Cass, then 
governor of the Territory of Michigan, had led an ex- 
ploring party to the upper waters of the Mississippi, 
somewhat similar to the one I am now speaking of, Mr. 
Henry R. Schoolcraft being one of them. When they 
reached what is now Cass lake, in the Mississippi river, 
they decided that it was the source of the great river, 
and it was named Cass lake, in honor of the governor, 
and was believed to be such source until the arrival of 
Schoolcraft's party in 1832. 

After a search, an inlet was found into Cass lake, 
flowing from the west, and they pursued it until the lake 
now called "Itasca" was reached. Five of the party, 



History of Minnesota. 27 

Lieutenant Allen, Schoolcraft, Dr. Houghton, Inter- 
preter Johnson and Mr. Boutwell, explored the lake 
thoroughly, and finding no inlet, decided it must be the 
true source of the river. Mr. Schoolcraft, being desirous 
of giving the lake a name that would indicate its position 
as the true head of the river, and at the same time be 
euphonious in sound, endeavored to produce one, but 
being unable to satisfy himself, turned it over to Mr. 
Boutwell, who, being a good Latin scholar, wrote down 
two Latin words, 'Veritas," truth, and "caput," head, and 
suggested that a word might be coined out of the combi- 
nation that would answer the purpose. He then cut off 
the last two syllables of Veritas, making "Itas," and the 
first syllable of caput, making "ca," and, putting them 
together, he gave the word "Itasca," which, in my judg- 
ment, is a sufficiently skillful and beautiful Hterary feat 
to immortalize the inventor. Mr, Boutwell died within 
a few years at Stillwater, in Minnesota. 

Presumptuous attempts have been made to deprive 
Schoolcraft of the honor of having discovered the true 
source of the river, but their transparent absurdity has 
prevented their having obtained any credence, and to 
put a quietus on such unscrupulous pretenses, Mr. J. V. 
Brower, a scientific surveyor, under the auspices of the 
Minnesota Historical Society, has recently made ex- 
haustive researches, surveys and maps of the region, and 
established beyond doubt or cavil the entire authenticity 
of Schoolcraft's discovery. Gen. James H. Baker, once 
surveyor general of the State of Minnesota, and a dis- 
tinguished member of the same society, under its ap- 
pointment, prepared an elaborate paper on the subject, 
in which is collected and presented all the facts, history 
and knowledge that exists relating to the discovery, and 
conclusively destroys all efforts to deprive Schoolcraft 
of his laurels. 



28 History of Minnesota. 

elevations in minnesota. 

While on the subject of the source of the Mississippi 
river, I may as well speak of the elevations of the state 
above the level of the sea. It can be truthfully said that 
Minnesota occupies the summit of the North American 
continent. In its most northern third rises the Missis- 
sippi, which, in its general course, flows due south to the 
Gulf of Mexico. In about its center division, from north 
to south, rises the Red River of the North, and takes a 
general northerly direction until it empties into Lake 
Winnipeg, while the St. Louis and other rivers take 
their rise in the same region and flow eastwardly into 
Lake Superior, which is the real source of the St. Law- 
rence, which empties into the Atlantic. 

The elevation at the source of the Mississippi is i,6oo 
feet, and at the point where it leaves the southern bound- 
ary of the state, 620 feet. The elevation at the source 
of the Red River of the North is the same as that of the 
Mississippi, 1,600 feet, and where it leaves the state at 
its northern boundary 767 feet. The average elevation of 
the state is given at 1,275 ^^^t, its highest elevation, in 
the Mesaba range, 2,200 feet, and its lowest, at Duluth, 
602 feet. 

NICOLLET. 

In 1836 a French savant, M. Jean N. Nicollet, visited 
Minnesota for the purpose of exploration. He was an 
astronomer of note, and had received a decoration of the 
Legion of Honor, and had also been attached as profes- 
sor to the Royal College of "Louis Le Grande." He 
arrived in Minnesota on July 26, 1836, bearing letters of 
introduction, and visited Fort Snelling, whence he left 
with a French trader, named Fronchet, to explore the 



History of Minnesota. 29 

sources of the Mississippi. He entered the Crow Wing 
river, and by the way of Gull river and Gull lake he 
entered Leech lake. The Indians were disappointed 
when they found he had no presents for them and spent 
most of his time looking at the heavens through a tube, 
and they became unruly and troublesome. The Rev. 
Mr. Boutwell, whose mission house was on the lake, 
learning of the difficulty, came to the rescue, and a very 
warm friendship sprang up between the men. No edu- 
cated man who has not experienced the desolation of 
having been shut up among savages and rough, unlet- 
tered voyageurs for a long time can appreciate the 
pleasure of meeting a cultured and refined gentleman so 
unexpectedly as Mr. Boutwell encountered Nicollet, and 
especially when he was able to render him valuable aid. 
From Leech lake Nicollet went to Lake Itasca with 
guides and packers. He pitched his tent on Schoolcraft 
island in the lake, where he occupied himself for some 
time in making astronomical observations. He con- 
tinued his explorations beyond those of Schoolcraft and 
Lieutenant Allen, and followed up the rivulets that 
entered the lake, thoroughly exploring its basin or 
watershed. 

He returned to Fort Snelling in October, and re- 
mained there for some time, studying Dakota. He 
became the guest of Mr. Henry H. Sibley at his home 
in Mendota for the winter. General Sibley, in speaking 
of him, says : 

"A portion of the winter following was spent by him 
at my house, and it is hardly necessary to state that I 
found in him a most instructive companion. His devo- 
tion to his studies was intense and unremitting, and I 
frequently expostulated with him upon his imprudence 
in thus overtasking the strength of his delicate frame, 
but without efifect." 



30 History of Minnesota. 

Nicollet went to Washington after his tour of 
1836-37, and was honored with a commission from the 
United States government to make further explorations 
and John C. Fremont was detailed as his assistant. 

Under his new appointment, Nicollet and his assist- 
ant went up the Alissouri in a steamboat to Fort Pierre ; 
thence he traveled through the interior of Minnesota, 
visiting the Red Pipestone quarry, Devil's lake, and 
other important localities. On this tour he made a map 
of the country, which was the first reliable and accurate 
one made, which, together with his astronomical obser- 
vations, were invaluable to the country. His name has 
been perpetuated by giving it to one of Minnesota's 
principal counties. 

MISSIONS. 

The missionary period is one full of interest in the 
history of the State of Minnesota. The devoted people 
who sacrifice all the pleasures and luxuries of life to 
spread the gospel of Christianity among the Indians are 
deserving of all praise, no matter whether success or 
failure attends their efforts. The Dakotas and Chip- 
pewas were not neglected in this respect. The Catholics 
were among them at a very early day, and strove to 
convert them to Christianity. These worthy men were 
generally French priests and daring explorers, but for 
some reason, whether it was want of permanent support 
or an individual desire to rove, I am unable to say, they 
did not succeed in founding any missions of a lasting 
character among the Dakotas before the advent of white 
settlement. The devout Romanist, Shea, in his inter- 
esting history of Catholic missions, speaking of the 
Dakotas, remarks that "Father Menard had projected a 
Sioux mission, Marquette, Allouez, Druillettes, all enter- 



History of Minnesota. 31 

tained hopes of realizing it, and had some intercourse 
with that nation, but none of them ever succeeded in 
estabHshing a mission." Their work, however, was only 
postponed, for at a later date they gained and maintained 
a lasting foothold. 

The Protestants, however, in and after 1820, made 
permanent and successful ventures in this direction. 
After the formation of the American Fur Company, 
Mackinaw became the chief point of that organization. 
In June, 1820, the Rev. Mr. Morse, father of the inven- 
tor of the telegraph, came to Mackinaw, and preached 
the first sermon that was delivered in the Northwest. He 
made a report of his visit to the Presbyterian Missionary 
Society in New York, which sent out parties to explore 
the field. The Rev. W. M. Terry, with his wife, com- 
menced a school at Mackinaw in 1823, and had great 
success. There were sometimes as many as two hun- 
dred pupils at the school, representing many tribes of 
Indians. There are descendants of the children who 
were educated at this school now in Minnesota, who are 
citizens of high standing, who are indebted to this in- 
stitution for their education and position. 

In the year 1830 a Mr. Warren, who was then living 
at La Pointe, visited Mackinaw to obtain a missionary 
for his place, and not being able to secure an ordained 
minister, he took back with him Mr. Frederick Ayre, 
a teacher, who, being pleased with the place and pros- 
pect, returned to Mackinaw, and in 1831, with the Rev. 
Sherman Hall and wife, started for La Pointe, where 
they arrived on August 30th, and established themselves 
as missionaries, with a school. 

The next year Mr. Ayre went to Sandy lake, and 
opened another school for the children of voyageurs and 
Indians. In 1832 Mr. Boutwell, after his tour with 



32 History op Minnesota. 

Schoolcraft, took charge of the school at La Pointe, and 
in 1833 he removed to Leech lake, and there established 
the first mission in Minnesota west of the Mississippi. 

From his Leech lake mission he writes a letter in 
which he gives such a realistic account of his school and 
mission that one can see everything that is taking place, 
as if a panorama was passing before his eyes. He takes 
a cheerful view of his prospects, and gives a compre- 
hensive statement of the resources of the country in 
their natural state. If space allowed, I would like to 
copy the whole letter; but as he speaks of the wild rice 
in referring to the food supply, I will say a word about 
it, as I deem it one of Minnesota's most important nat- 
ural resources. 

In 1857 I visited the source of the Mississippi with 
the then Indian agent for the Chippewas, and traveled 
hundreds of miles in the upper river. We passed 
through endless fields of wild rice, and witnessed its har- 
vest by the Chippewas, which is a most interesting and 
picturesque scene. They tie it in sheaves with a straw 
before it is ripe enough to gather to prevent the wind 
from shaking out the grains, and when it has matured, 
they thresh it with sticks into their canoes. We esti- 
mated that there were about i ,000 families of the Chip- 
pewas, and that they gathered about twenty-five bushels 
for each family, and we saw that in so doing they did 
not make any impression whatever on the crop, leaving 
thousands of acres of the rice to the geese and ducks. 
Our calculations then were that more rice grew in Min- 
nesota each year, without any cultivation, than was pro- 
duced in South Carolina as one of the principal products 
of that state, and I may add that it is much more palata- 
ble and nutritious as a food than the white rice of the 
Orient or the South. There is no doubt that at some 



History of Minnesota. 33 

future time it will be utilized to the great advantage of 
the state. 

Mr. Boutwell's Leech lake mission was in all things 
a success. 

In 1834 the Rev. Samuel W. Pond and his brother, 
Gideon H. Pond, full of missionary enthusiasm, arrived 
at Fort Snelling, in the month of May, They consulted 
with the Indian agent. Major Taliaferro, about the best 
place to establish a mission, and decided upon Lake Cal- 
houn, where dwelt small bands of Dakotas, and with 
their own hands erected a house and located. 

About the same time came the Rev. T. H. William- 
son, M. D., under appointment from the American 
Board of Commissoners of Foreign Missions, to visit the 
Dakotas, to ascertain what could be done to introduce 
Christian instruction among them. He was reinforced 
by Rev. J. D. Stevens, missionary, Alexander Huggins, 
farmer, and their wives, and Miss Sarah Poage and Miss 
Lucy Stevens, teachers. They arrived at Fort Snelling 
in May, 1835, and were hospitably received by the of- 
ficers of the garrison, the Indian agent, and Mr. Sibley, 
then a young man who had recently taken charge of the 
trading post at Mendota. 

From this point Rev. Mr. Stevens and family pro- 
ceeded to Lake Harriet, in Hennepin county, and built 
a suitable house, and Dr. Williamson and wife, Mr. 
Huggins and wife, and Miss Poage, went to Lac qui 
Parle, where they were welcomed by Mr. Renville, a 
trader at that point, after whom the county of Renville 
is named. 

The Rev. J. D. Stevens acted as chaplain of Fort 
Snelling, in the absence of a regularly appointed officer 
in that position. 

In 1837 the mission was strengthened by the arrival 



34 History of Minnesota. 

of the Rev. Stephen R. Riggs. a graduate of Jefferson 
College, Pennsylvania, and his wife. After remaining 
a short time at Lake Harriet, Mr. and Mrs. Riggs went 
to Lac qui Parle. 

In 1837 missionaries sent out by the Evangelical So- 
ciety of Lausanne, Switzerland, arrived, and located at 
Red Wing and Wapashaw's villages, on the Mississippi, 
and about the same time a Methodist mission was com- 
menced at Kaposia, but they were of brief duration and 
soon abandoned. 

In 1836 a mission was estabhshed at Pokegama, 
among the Chippewas, which was quite successful, and 
.afterwards, in 1842 or 1843, missions were opened at 
Red Lake, Shakopee, and other places in Minnesota. 
During the summer of 1843 ^^- Riggs commenced a 
mission station at Traverse des Sioux, which attained 
considerable proportions, and remained until overtaken 
by white settlement, about 1854. 

Mr. Riggs and Dr. Williamson also established a 
Mission at the Yellow Medicine Agency of the Sioux, 
in the year 1852, which was about the best equipped of 
any of them. It consisted of a good house for the mis- 
sionaries, a large boarding and school house for Indian 
pupils, a neat little church. w4th a steeple and a bell, 
and all the other buildings necessary to a complete mis- 
sion outfit. 

These good men adopted a new scheme of educa- 
tion and civilization, which promised to be very success- 
ful. They organized a government among the Indians, 
which they called the Hazelwood Republic. To become 
a member of this civic body, it was necessary that the 
applicant should cut off his long hair, and put on white 
men's clothes, and it was also expected that he should 
become a member of the church. The republic had a 



History of Minnesota. 35 

written constitution, a president and other officers. It 
was in 1856 when I first became acquainted with this in- 
stitution, and I afterwards used its members to great ad- 
vantage, in the rescue of captive women and the punish- 
ment of one of the leaders of the Spirit Lake massacre, 
which occurred in the northwestern portion of Iowa, in 
the year 1857, the particulars of which I will relate here- 
after. The name of the president was Paul Ma-za-cu- 
ta-ma-ni, or "The man who shoots metal as he walks," 
and one of its prominent members was John Otherday, 
called in Sioux, An-pay-tu-tok-a-cha, both of whom 
were the best friends the whites had in the hour of their 
great danger in the outbreak of 1862. It was these two 
men who informed the missionaries and other whites at 
the Yellow Medicine Agency of the impending mas- 
sacre, and assisted sixty-two of them to escape before 
the fatal blow was struck. 

What I have said proves that much good attended 
the work of the missionaries in the way of civilizing 
some of the Indians, but it has always been open to 
question in my mind if any Sioux Indian ever fully com- 
prehended the basic doctrines of Christianity. I will 
give an example which had great weight in forming my 
judgment. There were among the pillars of the mis- 
sion church at the Yellow Medicine Agency (or as it 
was called in Sioux, Pajutazee) an Indian named Ana- 
wang-mani, to which the missionaries had prefixed the 
name of Simon. He was an exceptionally good man, 
and prominent in all church matters. He prayed and 
exhorted, and was looked upon by all interested as a 
fulfillment of the success of both the church and the re- 
public. Imagine the consternation of the worthy mis- 
sionaries when one day he announced that a man who 
had killed his cousin some eight years ago had returned 



36 History of Minnesota. 

from the Missouri, and was then in a neighboring camp, 
and that it was his duty to kill him to avenge his cousin. 
The missionaries argued with him, quoted the Bible to 
him, prayed with him, — in fact, exhausted every possible 
means to prevent him carrying out his purpose; but all 
to no effect. He would admit all they said, assured them 
that he believed everything they contended for, but he 
would always end with the assertion that, "He killed my 
cousin, and I must kill him." This savage instinct was 
too deeply imbedded in his nature to be overcome by 
any teaching of the white man, and the result was that 
he got a double-barreled shotgun and carried out his 
purpose, the consequence of which was to nearly destroy 
the church and the republic. He was, however, true to 
the whites all through the outbreak of 1862. 

When the Indians rebelled, the entire mission outfit 
at Pajutazee was destroyed, which practically put an end 
to missionary effort in Minnesota, but did not in the 
least lessen the ardor of the missionaries. I remember 
meeting Dr. Williamson soon after the Sioux were driv- 
en out of the state, and supposing, of course, that he had 
given up all hope of Christianizing them, I asked him 
where he would settle, and what he would do. He did 
not hesitate a moment, and said that he would hunt up 
the remnant of his people and attend to their spiritual 
wants. 

Having given a general idea of the missionary ef- 
forts that were made in Minnesota, I will say a word 
about 

THE INDIANS. 

The Dakotas (or as they were afterwards called, the 
Sioux) and the Chippewas were splendid races of aborig- 
inal men. The Sioux that occupied Minnesota were 



History of Minnesota. 37 

about eight thousand strong, — men, women and chil- 
dren. They were divided into four principal bands, 
known as the M'day-w^a-kon-tons. or Spirit Lake Vil- 
lagers; the Wak-pay-ku-tays, or Leaf Shooters, from 
their living in the timber; the Si-si-tons, and Wak-pay- 
tons. There was also a considerable band, known as 
the Upper Si-si-tons, w^ho occupied the extreme upper 
waters of the Minnesota river. The Chippewas num- 
bered about 7,800, divided as follows: At Lake Su- 
perior, whose agency was at La Pointe, Wis., about 
1,600; on the Upper Mississippi, on the east side, about 
3,450; of Pillagers, 1,550; and at Red lake, 1,130. The 
Sioux and Chippewas had been deadly enemies as far 
back as anything was known of them, and kept up con- 
tinual warfare. The Winnebagoes, numbering about 
1,500, were removed from the neutral ground, in Iowa, 
to Long Prairie, in Minnesota, in 1848, and in 1854 were 
again removed to Blue Earth county, near the present 
site of Mankato. While Minnesota was a territory its 
western boundary extended to the Missouri river, and 
on that river, both east and west of it, were numerous 
wild and warlike bands of Sioux, numbering many thou- 
sands, although no accurate census of them had ever 
been taken. They were the Tetons, Yanktons, Cut- 
heads, Yanktonais, and others. These Missouri Indians 
frequently visited Minnesota. 

The proper name of these Indians is Dakota, and 
they know themselves only by that name, but the Chip- 
pewas of Lake Superior, in speaking of them, always 
called them, "Nadowessioux," which in their language 
signifies "enemy." The traders had a habit, when 
speaking of any tribe in the presence of another, and 
especially of an enemy, to designate them by some name 
that would not be understood by the listeners, as they 



38 History of Minnesota. 

were very suspicious. When speaking of the Dakotas, 
they used the last syllable of Nadowessioux, — "Sioux," 
until the name attached itself to them, and they have 
always since been so called. 

Charlevoix, who visited Minnesota in 172 1, in his his- 
tory of New France, says : "The name 'Sioux,' that we 
give these Indians, is entirely of our own making ; or, 
rather, it is the last two syllables of the name of 'Nado- 
wessioux,' as many nations call them." 

The Sioux live in tepees, or circular conical tents, 
supported by poles, so arranged as to leave an opening 
in the top for ventilation and for the escape of smoke. 
These were, before the advent of the whites, covered 
with dressed buffalo skins, but more recently with a 
coarse cotton tent cloth, which is preferable on account 
of its being much lighter to transport from place to 
place, as they are almost constantly on the move, the 
tents being carried by the squaws. There is no more 
comfortable habitation than the Sioux tepee to be found 
among the dwellers in tents anywhere. A fire is made 
in the center for either warmth or cooking purposes. 
The camp kettle is suspended over it, making cooking 
easy and cleanly. In the winter, when the Indian fam- 
ily settles down to remain any considerable time, they 
select a river bottom where there is timber or chaparral, 
and set up the tepee; then they cut the long grass or 
bottom cane, and stand it up against the outside of the 
lodge to the thickness of about twenty inches, and you 
have a very warm and cozy habitation. 

The wealth of the Sioux consists very largely in his 
horses, and his subsistence is the game of the forest and 
plains and the fish and wild rice of the lakes. Minnesota 
was an Indian paradise. It abounded in bufifalo, elk, 
moose, deer, beaver, wolves, and, in fact, nearly all wild 



History of Minnesota. 39 

animals found in North America. It held upon its sur- 
face eight thousand beautiful lakes, alive with the finest 
of edible fish. It was dotted over with beautiful groves 
of the sugar maple, yielding quantities of delicious sugar, 
and wild rice swamps were abundant. An inhabitant of 
this region, with absolute liberty, and nothing to do but 
defend it against the encroachments of enemies, cer- 
tainly had very little more to ask of his Creator. But 
he was not allowed to enjoy it in peace. A stronger 
race was on his trail, and there was nothing left for him 
but to surrender his countr}' on the best terms he could 
make. Such has ever been the case from the beginning 
of recorded events, and judging from current operations, 
there has been no cessation of the movement. Why 
was not the world made big enough for homes for all 
kinds and colors of men, and all characters of civiliza- 
tion? 

As the white man progressed towards the West, and 
came in contact with the Indians, it became necessary 
to define the territories of the different tribes to avoid 
collision between them and the newcomers as much as 
possible. To accomplish this end. Governor Clark of 
Missouri and Governor Cass of Michigan, on the nine- 
teenth day of August, 1825, convened, at Prairie du 
Chien, a grand congress of Indians, representing the 
Dakotas, Chippewas (then called Ojibways), Sauks, 
Foxes, Menomonies, lowas, Winnebagoes, Pottawat- 
omies and Ottawas, and it was determined by treaties 
among them where the dividing lines between their 
countries should be. This partition gave the Chippe- 
was a large part of what is now Wisconsin and Minneso- 
ta, and the Dakotas lands to the west of them; but it 
soon became apparent that these boundary lines be- 
tween the Dakotas and the Chippewas would not be ad- 



40 History of Minnesota. 

liered to, and Governor Cass and Mr. T. L. McKenney 
were appointed commissioners to again convene the 
Chippewas, but this time at Fond du Lac, and there, 
on the fifth day of August, 1826, another treaty was en- 
tered into, which, with the exception of the Fort Snell- 
ing- treaty, was the first one ever made on the soil of 
Minnesota. By this treaty the Chippewas, among other 
things, renounced all allegiance to or connection with 
Great Britain, and acknowledged the authority of the 
United States. These treaties were, however, rather of 
a preliminar}- character, being intended more for the 
purpose of arranging matters between the tribes than 
making concessions to the whites, although the whites 
were permitted to mine and carry away metals and ores 
from the Chippewa country by the treaty of Fond du 
Lac. 

The first important treaty made with the Sioux, by 
which the white men began to obtain concessions of 
lands from them, was on Aug. 29, 1837. T^his treaty 
was made at Washington, through Joel R. Poinsette, 
and to give an idea of how little time and few words 
were spent in accomplishing important ends, I will quote 
the first article of this treaty : 

"Article i. — The chiefs and braves representing the 
parties having an interest therein cede to the United 
States all their land east of the Mississippi river, and all 
their islands in said river." 

The rest of the treaty is confined to the considera- 
tion to be paid, and matters of that nature. 

This treaty extinguished all the Dakota title in lands 
east of the Mississippi river, in Minnesota, and opened 
the way for immigration on all that side of the Missis- 
sippi ; and immigration was not long in accepting the in- 
vitation, for between the making of the treaty, in 1837, 



History of Minnesota. 41 

and the admission of the State of Wisconsin into the 
Union, in 1848, there had sprung into existence in that 
state, west of the St. Croix, the towns of Stillwater, St. 
Anthony, St. Paul, Marine, Areola, and other lesser set- 
tlements, which were all left in Minnesota when Wiscon- 
sin adopted the St. Croix as its western boundary. 

Most important, however, of all the treaties that 
opened up the lands of Minnesota to settlement were 
those of 1 85 1, made at Traverse des Sioux and Mendota, 
by which the Sioux ceded to the United States all their 
lands in Minnesota and Iowa, except a small reservation 
for their habitation, situated on the upper waters of the 
Minnesota river. 

The Territory of Minnesota was organized in 1849. 
and immediately presented to the world a very attrac- 
tive field for immigration. The most desirable lands in 
the new territory were on the west side of the Mississip- 
pi, but the title to them was still in the Indians. The 
whites could not wait until this was extinguished, but at 
once began to settle on the land lying on the west bank 
of the Mississippi, north of the north line of Iowa, and in 
the new territory. These settlements extended up the 
Mississippi river as far as St. Cloud, in what is now 
Steams county, and extended up the Minnesota river 
as far as the mouth of the Blue Earth river, in the neigh- 
borhood of Mankato. These settlers were all trespas- 
sers on the lands of the Indians, but a little thing like 
that never deterred a white American from pushing his 
fortunes towards the setting sun. It soon became ap- 
parent that the Indians must yield to the approaching 
tidal wave of settlement, and measures were taken to 
acquire their lands by the United States. In 1851, 
Luke Lea, then commissioner of Indian affairs, and Al- 
exander Ramsey, then governor of the Territory of Min- 



42 History of Minnesota. 

nesota and ex-officio superintendent of Indian affairs, 
were appointed commissioners to treat with the Indians 
at Traverse des Sioux, and, after much feasting and 
talking, a treaty was completed and signed, on the twen- 
ty-third day of July, 185 1, between the United States 
and the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands of Sioux, where- 
by these bands ceded to the United States a vast tract 
of land lying in Minnesota and Iowa, and reserved for 
their future occupation a strip of land on the upper Min- 
nesota, ten miles wide on each side of the center line of 
the river. For this cession they were to be paid $1,665,- 
000, which was to be paid, a part in cash to liquidate 
debts, etc., and five per cent per annum on the balance 
for fifty years, the interest to be paid annually, partly in 
cash and partly in funds for agriculture, civilization, ed- 
ucation, and in goods of various kinds; which payments, 
when completed, were to satisfy both principal and in- 
terest, the policy and expectation of the government 
being that at the end of fifty years the Indians would 
be civilized and self-sustaining. 

Amendments were made to this treaty in the senate, 
and it was not fully completed and proclaimed until Feb, 

24, 1853- 

Almost instantly after the execution of this treaty, 

and on Aug, 5, 1851, another treaty was negotiated by 
the same commissioners with two other bands of Sioux 
in Minnesota, the M'day-wa-kon-tons and Wak-pay- 
koo-tays. By this treaty these bands ceded to the 
United States all their lands in the Territory of Minne- 
sota or State of Iowa, for which they were to be paid 
$1,410,000, very much in the same way that was pro- 
vided in the last-named treaty with the Sissetons and 
Wak-pay-tons. This treaty, also, was amended by the 
senate, and not fully perfected until Feb. 24, 1853. 



History of Minnesota. 43 

Both of these treaties contained the provision that 
"The laws of the United States, prohibiting the intro- 
duction and sale of spirituous liquors in the Indian coun- 
try, shall be in full force and effect throughout the ter- 
ritory hereby ceded and lying in Minnesota until other- 
wise directed by congress or the president of the United 
States." I mention this feature of the treaty because it 
gave rise to much litigation as to whether the treaty 
making power had authority to legislate for settlers on 
the ceded lands of the United States. The power was 
sustained. These treaties practically obliterated the In- 
dian title from the lands composing Minnesota, and its 
extinction brings us to the 

' TERRITORIAL PERIOD. 

It must be kept in mind that, during the period 
which we have been attempting to review, the people 
who inhabited what is now Minnesota were subject to a 
great many diflferent governmental jurisdictions. This, 
however, did not in any way concern them, as they did 
not, as a general thing, know or care anything about 
such matters ; but as it may be interesting to the retro- 
spective explorer to be informed on the subject, I will 
briefly present it. Minnesota has two sources of par- 
entage. The part of it lying west of the Mississippi 
was part of the Louisiana purchase, made by President 
Jefferson from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803, and the 
part east of that river was part of the Northwest Terri- 
tory, ceded by Virginia, in 1784, to the United States. 
I will give the successive changes of political jurisdic- 
tion, beginning on the west side of the river. 

First, it was part of New Spain, and Spanish. It 
was then purchased from Spain by France, and became 
French. On June 30, 1803, it became American, by 



44 History of MinnEssOTa. 

purchase from France, and was part of the Province of 
Louisiana, and so remained until March 26, 1804, vvhen 
an act was passed by congress, creating the Territory 
of Orleans, which included all of the Louisiana purchase 
south of the thirty-third degree of north latitude. This 
act gave the Territory of Louisiana a government, and 
called all the country north of it the District of Louisi- 
ana, which was to be governed by the Territory of In- 

^^ diana, which had been created in 1800 out of the North- 
west Territory, and had its seat of government at Vin- 
cennes, on the Wabash. 

On June 4, 18 12, the District of Louisiana was 
erected into the Territory of Missouri, where we re- 
mained until June 28, 1834, when all the public lands 
of the United States lying west of the Mississippi, north 
of the State of Missouri, and south of the British line, 
were, by act of congress, attached to the Territory of 
Michigan, under whose jurisdiction we remained until 
April 10, 1836, when the Territory of Wisconsin was 
created. This law went into effect July 3, 1836. and 
Wisconsin took in our territory lying west of the Mis- 
sissippi, and there it remained until June 12, 1838, when 
the Territory of Iowa was created, taking us in and hold- 
ing us until the State of Iowa was admitted into the 
Union, on March 3, 1845, which left us without any gov- 
ernment west of the Mississippi. 

^ The part of Minnesota lying east of the Mississippi 
was originally part of the Northwest Territory. On May 
7, 1800, it became part of the Indiana Territory, and 
remained so until April 26, 1836, when it became part 
of the Wisconsin Territory ; and so continued until May 
29, 1848, when Wisconsin entered the Union as a state, 
with the St. Croix river for its western boundary. By 
this arrangement of the western boundarv of Wisconsin 



History of Minnesota. 45 

all the territory west of the St. Croix and east of the 
Mississippi, like that west of the river, was left without 
any government at all. i 

One of the curious results of the many governmental 
changes which the western part of Minnesota underwent 
is illustrated in the residence of Gen. Henry H. Sibley, 
at Mendota. In 1834, at the age of twenty-two, Mr, 
Sibley commenced his residence at Mendota, as the 
agent of the American Fur Company's establishment. 
At this point Mr. Sibley built the first private residence 
that was erected in Minnesota. It was a large, com- 
fortable dwelling, constructed of the blue limestone 
found in the vicinity, with commodious porticos on the 
river front. The house was built in 1835-36, and was 
then in the Territory of Michigan. Mr. Sibley lived in 
it successively in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the 
Territory and State of Minnesota. He removed to St. 
Paul in the year 1862. Every distinguished visitor who 
came to Minnesota in the early days was entertained by 
Mr. Sibley in this hospitable old mansion, and, together 
with its genial, generous and refined proprietor, it con- 
tributed much towards planting the seeds of those 
aesthetic amenities of social life that have so generally 
flourished in the later days of Minnesota's history and 
given it its deserved prominence among the states of the 
Wegt. The house still stands, and has been occupied at 
different times since its founder abandoned it as a Cath- 
olic institution of some kind and an artists' summer 
school. The word Mendota is Sioux, and means "The 
meeting of the waters." 

It was the admission of Wisconsin into the Union in 
1848 that brought about the organization of the Terri- 
tory of Minnesota. The peculiar situation in which all 
the people residing west of the St. Croix found them- 



46 History of Minnesota. 

selves set them to devising ways and means to obtain 
some kind of government tO' live under. It was a de- 
batable question whether the remnant of Wisconsin 
which was left over when the state was admitted carried 
with it the territorial government, or whether it was a 
"no man's land," and different views were entertained 
on the subject. The question was somewhat embar- 
rassed by the fact that the territorial governor, Gover- 
nor Dodge, had been elected to the senate of the United 
States from the new state, and the territorial secretary, 
Mr. John Catlin, who would have become governor ex- 
officio when a vacancy occurred in the office of gover- 
nor, resided in Madison, and the delegate to congress, 
Mr. John H. TWeedy, had resigned ; so, even if the ter- 
ritorial government had, in law, survived, there seemed 
to be no one to represent and administer it. 

There was no lack of ability among the inhabitants 
of the abandoned remnant of Wisconsin. In St. Paul 
dwelt Henry M. Rice, Louis Roberts, J. W. Simpson, 
A. L. Larpenteur, David Lambert, Henry Jackson, Ve- 
tal Guerin, David Herbert, Oliver Rosseau, Andre God- 
frey, Joseph Rondo, James R. Clewell, Edward Phalen, 
William G. Carter, and many others. In Stillwater and 
on the St. Croix were Morton S. Wilkinson, Henry L. 
Moss, John McKusick, Joseph R. Brown, etc. In Men- 
dota resided Henry H. Sibley. In St. Anthony, Wil- 
liam R. Marshall ; at Fort Snelling, Franklin Steele. I 
could name many others, but the above is a representa- 
tive list. It will be observed that many of them were 
French. 

An initial meeting was held in St. Paul, in July of 
1848, at Henry Jackson's trading house, to consider the 
matter, which was undoubtedly the first public meeting 
ever held in Minnesota. On the fifth day of August, in 



History op Minnesota. 47 

the same year, a similar meeting was held in Stiiihvater, 
and out of these meetings grew a call for a convention, 
to be held at Stillwater, on August 26th, which was held 
accordingly. There were present about sixty delegates. 

At this meeting a letter from Hon. John Catlin, the 
secretary of Wisconsin Territory, was read, giving it as 
his opinion that the territorial government of Wisconsin 
still existed, and that if a delegate to congress was elect- 
ed he would be admitted to a seat. 

A memorial to congress was prepared, setting forth 
the peculiar situation in which the people of the remnant 
found themselves, and praying relief in the organization 
of a territorial government. 

During the session of this convention there was a 
verbal agreement entered into between the members, to 
the effect that when the new territory was organized the 
capital should be at St. Paul, the penitentiary at Still- 
water, the university at St. Anthony,and the delegate to 
congress should be taken from Mendota. I have had 
reason to assert publicly this fact on former occasions, 
and so far as it relates to the university and the peniten- 
tiary, my statement was questioned by Minnesota's 
greatest historian. Rev. Edward D. Neill, in a published 
article, signed "Iconoclast;" but I sustained my position 
by letters from surviving members of the convention, 
which I published, and to which no answer was ever 
made. The same statement can be found in Williams' 
"History of St. Paul," published in 1876, at page 182. 

The result of this convention was the selection of 
Henry H. Sibley as its agent or delegate, to proceed to 
Washington and present the memorial and resolutions to 
the United States authorities. It was curiously enough 
stipulated that the delegate should pay his own expenses. 

Shortly after this event the Hon. John H. Tweedy, 



48 History of Minnesota. 

who was the regularly elected delegate to congress from 
the Territory of Wisconsin, no doubt supposing his of- 
ficial career was terminated, resigned his position, and 
Mr. John Catlin, claiming to be the governor of the ter- 
ritory, came to Stillwater, and issued a proclamation on 
Oct. 9, 1848, ordering a special election to fill the va- 
cancy caused by the resignation of Delegate Tweedy. 
The election was held on the thirtieth day of October. 
Mr. Henry H. Sibley and Mr. Henry M. Rice became 
candidates, neither caring very much about the result, 
and Mr. Sibley was elected. There was much doubt en- 
tertained as to the delegate being allowed to take his 
seat, but in November he proceeded to Washington, and 
was admitted, after considerable discussion. 

On the 3d of March, 1849, the delegate succeeded in 
passing an act organizing the Temtory of Minnesota, 
the boundaries of which embraced all the territory be- 
tween the western boundary of Wisconsin and the Mis- 
sissippi river, and also all that was left unappropriated 
on the admission of the State of Iowa, which carried our 
western boundary to the Missouri river, and included 
within our limits a large part of Avhat is now North and 
South Dakota. 

The passage of this act was the first step in the crea- 
tion of Minnesota. No part of the country had ever be- 
fore borne that name. The word is composed of two 
Sioux words, "Minne," which means water, and "Sota," 
which means the condition of the sky when fleecy white 
clouds are seen floating slowly and quietly over it. It 
has been translated, "sky tinted," giving to the word 
Minnesota the meaning of sky-tinted water. The name 
originated in the fact that, in the early days, the river 
now called Minnesota used to rise very rapidly in the 
spring, and there was constantly a caving in of the banks, 



History of Minnesota. 49 

which disturbed its otherwise pellucid waters, and g^ve 
them the appearance of the sky when covered with the 
light clouds I have mentioned. The similarity was 
heightened by the current keeping the disturbing ele- 
ment constantly in motion. There is a town just above 
St. Peter, called Kasota, which means "cloudy sky;" not 
stormy or threatening, but a sky dotted with fleecy white 
clouds. The best conception of this word can be found 
by pouring a few drops of milk into a glass of clear wa- 
ter, and observing the cloudy disturbance. 

The principal river in the territory was then called 
the St. Peters river, but the name was changed to the 
Minnesota. 

EDUCATION. 

An act organizing a territory simply creates a gov- 
ernment for its inhabitants, limiting and regulating its 
powers, executive, legislative and judicial, and in our 
country they generally resemble each other in all essen- 
tial features. But the organic act of Minnesota contained 
one provision never before found in any that preceded it. 
It had been customary to donate to the territory and fu- 
ture state, one section of land in each surveyed township 
for school purposes, and section i6 had been selected as 
the onCj but in the Minnesota act, the donation was 
doubled, and sections i6 and 36 in each township were 
reserved for the schools, which amounted to one-eigh- 
teenth of all the lands in the territory ; and when it is un- 
derstood that the state as now constituted contains 84,- 
287 square miles, or about 53,943,379 acres of land, it will 
be seen that the grant was princely in extent and incal- 
culable in value. No other state in the Union has been 
endowed with such a magnificent educational foundation. 
I may except Texas, which came into the Union, not as a 
4 



50 History of IMinnesota. 

part of the United States' public domain, but as an inde- 
pendent republic, owning all its lands, amounting to 237,- 
504 square miles, or 152,002,560 acres, a vast empire in 
itself. I remember hearing a distinguished senator, in 
the course of the debate on its admission into the Union, 
describe its immensity by saying, "A pigeon could not 
fly across it in a week." 

It affords every citizen of Minnesota great pride to 
know that, under all phases and conditions of our terri- 
tory and state, whether in prosperity or adversity, the 
school fund has always been held sacred, and neither ex- 
travagance, neglect nor peculation has ever assailed it, 
but it has been husbanded with jealous care from time to 
time since the first dollar was realized from it until the 
present, and has accumulated until the principal is esti- 
mated at $20,000,000. The state auditor, in his last re- 
port of it, says : 

"The extent of the school land grant should ultimate- 
ly be about three million acres, and as the average price 
of this land heretofore sold is $5.96 per acre, the 
amount of principal alone should yield the school fund 
not less than $17,000,000. To this must be added the 
amount received from sales of timber, and for lease and 
royalty of mineral lands, which will not be less than $3,- 
000,000 more. It is not probable that the average sale 
price of this land will be reduced in the future, but it 
may increase, especially in view of the improved method 
of sale inaugurated by the new land law." 

The general method of administering the school fund 
is to invest the proceeds arising from the sale of the 
lands, and distribute the interest among the counties of 
the state according to the number of children attending 
school ; the principal always to remain untouched and in- 
violate. 



History of Minnesota. 51 

Generous grants of land have also been made for a 
state university, amounting to 92,558 acres; also, for an 
agricultural college to the extent of one hundred thou- 
sand acres, which two funds have been consolidated, and 
together they have accumulated to the sum of $1,159,- 
790.73, all of which is securely invested. 

The state has also been endowed with five hundred 
thousand acres of land for internal improvements, and 
all its lands falling within the designation of swamp 
lands. An act of congress, of Feb. 26, 1857, also gave 
it ten sections of land for the purpose of completing pub- 
lic buildings at the seat of government, and all the salt 
springs, not to exceed twelve, in the state, with six sec- 
tions of land to each spring, in all seventy-two sections. 
The twelve salt springs have all been discovered and lo- 
cated, and the lands selected. The salt spring lands 
have been transferred to the regents of the university, to 
be held in trust to pay the cost of a geological and nat- 
ural history survey of the state. It is estimated that the 
salt spring lands will produce, on the same valuation as 
the school lands, the sum of $300,000. Large sums will 
also be gained by the state from the sale of timber 
stumpage, and the products of its mineral lands. Some 
idea of the magnitude of the fund to be derived from the 
mineral lands of the state may be learned from the report 
of the state auditor for the year 1896, in which he says 
that during the years 1895-96 there was received from 
and under all mineral leases, contracts and royalties, 
$170,128.83. 

It will be seen from this statement that the educa- 
tional interests of Minnesota are largely provided for 
without resort to direct taxation, although up to the 
present time that means of revenue has to some extent 
been utilized to meet the expenses of the grand system 
prevailing throughout the state. 



52 History op MinncIsota. 

the first territorial government. 

The organization of the territory was completed by 
the appointment of Alexander Ramsey of Pennsylvania 
as governor, Aaron Goodrich as chief justice, and David 
Cooper and Bradley B. Meeker as associate justices, C. 
K. Smith as secretary, Joshua L. Taylor as marshal, 
and Henry L. Moss as district attorney. 

On the 27th of May, 1849, the governor and his fam- 
ily arrived in St. Paul ; but there being no suitable ac- 
commodations for them, they became the guests of Hon. 
Henry H. Sibley, at Mendota, whose hospitality, as 
usual, was never failing, and for several weeks there re- 
sided the four men who have been perhaps more promi- 
nent in the development of the state than any others, — 
Henry H. Sibley, Alexander Ramsey, Plenry M. Rice 
and Franklin Steele, all of whom have been honored by 
having important counties named after them and by 
being chosen to fill high places of honor and trust. 

The governor soon returned to the capital, and on 
the 1st of June, 1849, issued a proclamation, declar- 
ing the territory duly organized. On the nth of June 
he issued a second proclamation, dividing the territory 
into three judicial districts. The county of St. Croix, 
which was one of the discarded counties of Wisconsin, 
and embraced the present county of Ramsey, was made 
the first district. The second was composed of the coun- 
ty of La Pointe (another of the Wisconsin counties), 
and the region north and west of the Mississippi river, 
and north of the Minnesota, and of a line running due 
west from the head waters of the Minnesota to the Mis- 
souri. The country west of the Mississippi and south of 
the Minnesota formed the third district. The chief jus- 
tice was assigned to the first. Meeker to the second and 
Cooper to the third, and courts were ordered held in 



History of Minnesota. 53 

each district as follows : At Stillwater, in the first dis- 
trict, on the second Monday, at the Falls of St. x^nthony 
on the third Monday, and at Mendota on the fourth 
Monday, in August. 

A census was taken of the inhabitants of the terri- 
tory, in pursuance of the requirements of the organic 
act, with the following result. I give here the details of 
the census, as it is interesting to know what inhabited 
places there were in the territory at this time, as well as 
the number of inhabitants : 

Total 
Inhabitants. 

Stillwater 609 

Lake St. Croix 211 

Marine Mills 173 

St. Paul 840 

Little Canada and St. Anthony 571 

Crow Wing and Long Prairie 350 

Osakis Rapids 133 

Falls of St. Croix 16 

Snake River 82 

La Pointe County 22 

Crow Wing 174 

Big Stone Lake and Lac qui Parle 68 

Little Rock 35 

Prairieville 22 

Oak Grove 23 

Black Dog Village 18 

Crow Wing (east side) 70 

Mendota 122 

Red Wing Village 33 

Wabasha and Root River 114 

Fort Snelling 38 

Soldiers, women and children in forts 317 

Pembina (^2,7 

Missouri River 85 

Total 4,764 

On the seventh day of July the governor issued a 
proclamation, dividing the territory into seven council 



54 History of Minnesota. 

districts, and ordering an election for a delegate to con- 
gress, nine councillors, and eighteen representatives, to 
constitute the first territorial legislature, to be held on 
the first day of August. At this election Henry H. Sib- 
ley was again chosen delegate to congress. 

COURTS. 

The courts were held in pursuance of the governor's 
proclamation, the first one convening at Stillwater. But 
before I relate what there occurred, I will mention an at- 
tempt that was made by Judge Irwin, one of the terri- 
torial judges of Wisconsin, to hold a term in St. Croix 
county, in 1842. Joseph R. Brown, of whom I shall 
speak hereafter as one of the brightest of Minnesota's 
early settlers, came to Fort Snelling as a fifer boy in the 
regiment that founded and built the fort in 1819. He 
was discharged from the army about 1826, and had be- 
come clerk of the courts in St. Croix county. He had 
procured from the legislature of Wisconsin an order for 
a court in his county for some reason only known to 
himself, and in 1842 Judge Irwin came up to hold it. He 
arrived at Fort Snelling, and found himself in a country 
which indicated that disputes were more frequently set- 
tled with tomahawks than by the principles of the com- 
mon law. The officers of the fort could give him no in- 
formation, but in his wanderings he found Mr. Norman 
W. Kittson, who had a trading house near the Falls of 
Minnehaha. Kittson knew Clerk Brown, who was then 
living on the St. Croix, near where Stillwater now 
stands, and furnishing the judge a horse, directed him 
how to find his clerk. After a ride of more than twenty 
miles, Brown was discovered, but no preparations had 
been made for a court. The judge took the first boat 
down the river, a disgusted and angry man. 



History of Minnesota. 55 

After the lapse of five years from this futile attempt 
the first court actually held within the bounds of Minne- 
sota was presided over by Judge Dunn, then chief justice 
of the Territory of Wisconsin. The court convened at 
Stillwater in June, 1847, ^^^ is remembered not only 
as the first court ever held in Minnesota, but on account 
of the trial of an Indian chief, named "Wind," who was 
indicted for murder. Samuel J. Crawford of Mineral 
Point was appointed prosecuting attorney for the term, 
and Ben C. Eastman of Plattville defended the prisoner. 
"Wind" was acquitted. This was the first jury trial in 
Minnesota. 

It should be stated that Henry H. Sibley was in fact 
the first judicial ofiicer who ever exercised the functions 
of a court in Minnesota. While living at St. Peters 
(Mendota), he was commissioned a justice of the peace 
in 1835 ^^ 1836 by Governor Chambers of Iowa, with a 
jurisdiction extending from twenty miles south of Prairie 
du Chien to the British boundary on the north, to the 
White river on the west and the Mississippi on the east. 
His prisoners could only be committed to Prairie du 
Chien. Boundary lines were very dimly defined in 
those days, and minor magistrates were in no danger of 
being overruled by superior courts, and tradition asserts 
that the writs of Sibley's court often extended far over 
into Wisconsin and other jurisdictions. One case is re- 
called which will serve as an illustration. A man named 
Phalen was charged with having murdered a sergeant 
in the United States army in Wisconsin. He was ar- 
rested under a warrant from Justice Sibley's Iowa court, 
examined and committed to Prairie du Chien, and no 
questions asked. Lake Phalen, from which the city of 
St. Paul derives part of its water supply, is named after 
this prisoner. Whatever jurisdictional irregularities 



56 History of Minnesota. 

Justice Sibley may have indulged in, it is safe to say that 
no injustice ever resulted from any decision of his. 

The first court-house that was erected within the pres- 
ent limits of Minnesota was at Stillwater, in the year 
1847. A private subscription was taken up, and $1,200 
was contributed. This sum was supplemented by a suf- 
ficient amount to complete the structure, from the treas- 
ury of St. Croix county. It was perched on the top of 
one of the high bluffs in that town, and much private 
and judicial blasphemy has been expended by exhausted 
litigants and judges in climbing to its lofty pinnacle. I 
held a term in it ten years after its completion. 

This court-house fell within the first judicial district 
of the Territor}^ of Minnesota, under the division made 
by Governor Ramsey, and the first court under his 
proclamation was held within its walls, beginning the 
second Monday of August, 1849. It was presided over 
by Chief Justice Goodrich, assisted by Judge Cooper, the 
term lasting one week. There were thirty-five cases on 
the calendar. The grand jury returned thirty indict- 
ments, one for assault with intent to maim, one for per- 
jury, four for selling liquor to Indians, and four for 
keeping gambling houses. Only one of these indict- 
ments was tried at this term, and the accused, Mr. Wil- 
liam D. Phillips, being a prominent metnber of the bar, 
and there being a good deal of fun in it, I will give a 
brief history of the trial and the defendant. 

Mr. Phillips was a native of Maryland, and came to 
St. Paul in 1848. He was the first district attorney of 
the county of Ramsey. He became quite prominent as 
a lawyer and politician, and tradition has handed down 
many interesting anecdotes concerning him. The in- 
dictment charged him with assault with intent to maim. 
In an altercation with a man, he had drawn a pistol on 



History of Minnesota. 57 

him, and his defense was that the pistol was not loaded. 
The witness for the prosecution swore that it was, and 
added that he could see the load. The prisoner, as the 
law then was, was not allowed to testify in his own be- 
half. He was convicted and fined $25. He was very 
indignant at the result, and explained the assertion of 
the witness, that he could see the load, in this way. He 
said he had been electioneering for Mr. Henry M. Rice, 
and from the uncertainty of getting his meals in such 
an unsettled country, he carried crackers and cheese in 
the same pocket with his pistol, a crumb of which had 
gotten into the pistol, and the fellow was so scared when 
he looked at it, that he thought it was loaded to the 
muzzle. 

Another anecdote which is related of him shows that 
he fully understood the fundamental principle which un- 
derlies success in the practice of law — that of always 
charging for services performed. Mr. Henry M. Rice 
had presented him with a lot in St. Paul, upon which to 
build an office, and when he presented his next bill to 
Mr. Rice there was in it a charge of four dollars for draw- 
ing the deed. 

The territorial courts as originally constituted, being 
composed of only three judges, the trial terms were held 
by single judges, and the supreme court by all three sit- 
ting in bank, where they would review each others de- 
cisions on appeal. 

When the state was admitted into the Union the ju- 
diciary was made to consist of a chief justice and two 
associate justices, who constituted the supreme court. 
with a jurisdiction exclusively appellate, and a district 
judge for each district. As the state has grown in pop- 
ulation and business, the supreme court judges have 
been increased to five and the judicial districts to eigh- 



58 History of Minnesota. 

teen in number, two of which, the second and the fourth, 
have six judges each, the eleventh three, the first and 
seventh two each, and the remainder one each. 

The practice adopted by the territorial legislature 
was generally similar to that of the New York code, with 
such differences as were necessary to conform it to a very 
new country. From a residence in the territory and 
state of forty-seven years, nearly all of which has been 
spent either in practice at the bar or as a judge on the 
bench, I take pride in saying that the judiciary of Minne- 
sota, in all its branches, both territorial and state, has, 
during its fifty years of existence, equalled in ability, 
learning and integrity that of any state in the West, 
which is well attested by the seventy-seven well filled 
volumes of its reported decisions. 

Nearly all of the old lawyers of Minnesota were ad- 
mitted to practice at the first term held at Stillwater, 
among whom were Morton S. Wilkinson, Henry L. 
Moss, Edmund Rice, Lorenzo A. Babcock, Alexander 
Wilkin, Bushrod W. Lott, and many others. Of the 
whole list. Mr. Moss is the sole survivor. 

FIRST TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE. 

The first legislature convened at St. Paul on Mon- 
day, the 3d of September, 1849, in the Central House, 
which for the occasion served for both capitol and hotel. 
The quarters were limited, but the legislature was small. 
The council had nine members and the house of repre- 
sentatives eighteen. The usual ofificers were elected, 
and on Tuesday afternoon both houses assembled in the 
dining-room of the hotel. Prayer was offered by the 
Rev. E. D. Neill, and Governor Ramsey delivered his 
message, which was well received both at home and 
abroad. 



History of Minnesota. 59 

It may be interesting to give the names of the men 
constituting this body, and the places of their nativity. 
The councillors were: 

James S. Norris, Maine. 

Samuel Burkleo, Delaware. 

William H. Forbes, Montreal. 

James McBoal, Pennsylvania. 

David B. Loomis, Connecticut. 

John Rollins Maine. 

David Olmsted, Vermont. 

William Sturgis, Upper Canada. 

Martin McLeod, Montreal. 

The members of the House were : 

Joseph W. Furber, New Hampshire. 

James Wells, New Jersey. 

M. S. Wilkinson, New York. 

Sylvanus Trask, New York. 

Mahlon Black, Ohio. 

Benjamin W. Bronson, Michigan. 

Henry Jackson Virginia. 

John J. Duvey, New York. 

Parsons K. Johnson, Vermont. 

Henry F. Stetzer, Missouri. 

William R. Marshall, Missouri. 

William Dugas, Lower Canada. 

Jeremiah Russell, Lower Canada. 

L. A. Babcock, Vermont. 

Thomas A. Holmes, Pennsylvania. 

Allen Morrison, Pennsylvania, 

Alexis Bailly, Michigan. 

Gideon H. Pond, Connecticut. 

David Olmsted was elected president of the council, 
with Joseph R. Brown as secretary. In the House, Jo- 
seph W. Furber was elected speaker, and W. D. Phillips 
clerk. i 

Many of these men became very prominent in the 
subsequent history of the state, and it is both curious and 



60 History of Minnesota. 

interesting to note the varied sources of their nativity, 
which shows that they were all of that peculiar and pic- 
turesque class known as the American pioneer. 

The work of the first legislature was not extensive, 
yet it performed some acts of historical interest. It cre- 
ated eight counties, named as follows: Itasca, Waba- 
shaw, Dakota, Wahnahtah, Mankato, Pembina, Wash- 
ington, Ramsey and Benton. The spelling of some of 
these names has since been changed. 

A very deep interest was manifested in the school 
system. A joint resolution was passed ordering a slab 
of red pipestone from the famous quarry to be sent to the 
Washington monument association, which was done, 
and now represents Minnesota in that lofty monument 
at the national capital. 

This was done at the suggestion of Henry H. Sibley, 
who furnished the stone. It will be remembered that I 
have referred to the visit of George Catlin, the artist, to 
Minnesota, in 1835, and that his report was unreliable. 
Among other things, he said that he was the first white 
man who had visited this quarry, and induced geologists 
to name the pipestone "Catlinite." Mr. Sibley, in his 
communication to the legislature presenting this slab, in 
answer to this pretension, says : 

"In conclusion, I would beg leave to state, that a 
late geological work of high authority by Dr. Jackson, 
designates this formation as Catlinite, upon the errone- 
ous supposition that Mr. George Catlin was the first 
white man who had ever visited that region ; whereas it 
is notorious that many whites had been there and exam- 
ined the quarry long before he came to the country. 
The designation, therefore, is clearly improper and un- 
just. The Sioux term for the stone is, Eyan-Sha (red 
stone), by which, I conceive, it should be known and 
classified." 



History of Minnesota. 61 

In my opinion, the greatest achievement of the first 
legislature was the incorporation of the Historical So- 
ciety of Minnesota. It established beyond question that 
we had citizens, at that early day, of thought and culture. 
One would naturally suppose that the first legislative 
body of an extreme frontier territory would be engaged 
principally with saw logs, peltries, town sites, and other 
things material ; but in this instance we find an expres- 
sion of the highest intellectual prevision, the desire to 
record historical events for posterity, even before their 
happening. And what afifords even greater satisfaction 
to the present citizens of Minnesota is, that from the 
time of the conception of this grand idea there have 
never been men wanting to appreciate its advantages, 
and carry it out, until now our state possesses its greatest 
intellectual and moral treasure in a library of historical 
knowledge of sixty-three thousand volumes, which is 
steadily increasing, a valuable museum of curiosities, and 
a gallery of historical paintings. 

This legislature recommended a device for a great 
seal. It represented an Indian family with lodge and 
canoe, encamped ; a single white man visiting them, and 
receiving from them the calumet of peace. The design 
did not meet with general approval, and nothing came of 
it. The next winter Governor Ramsey and the delegate 
to congress prepared a seal for the territory, the design 
of which was the Falls of St. Anthony in the distance, 
a farmer plowing land, his gun and powder horn leaning 
against a newly cut stump, a mounted Indian, surprised 
at the sight of the plow, lance in hand, fleeing toward 
the setting sun, with the Latin motto, "Quae sursum 
volo videre," ("I wish to see what is above"). A blun- 
der was made by the engraver, in substituting the word 
"Quo" for "Quae," in the motto, which destroyed its 



62 History of Minnesota. 

meaning. Some time after, it was changed to the 
French motto, "L'Etoile du Nord" (''Star of the 
North"), and thus remains until the present time. 

While speaking of seals, I will state that the seal of 
the supreme court was established when the first term 
of the court convened, in 1858. The design adopted 
was a female figure, representing the goddess of liberty, 
holding the evenly-balanced scales of justice in one hand 
and a sword in the other, with the somewhat hackneyed 
motto, "Fiat justitia ruat coelum" ("Let justice be done 
if the heavens fall"). I remember that, soon after it ap- 
peared, some one asked one of the judges what the new 
motto meant, and he jocularly answered, "Those who fy 
at justice will rue it when we seal 'em." 

The seal was changed to the same device as that of 
the state, with the same motto and the words, "Seal of 
the Supreme Court, State of Minnesota." 

IMMIGRATION. 

When the first legislature convened, the governor, 
on the second day of the session (Sept. 4, 1849), deliv- 
ered his message. It was a well-timed document, and 
admirably expressed to attract attention to the new ter- 
ritory. After congratulating the members upon the en- 
viable position they occupied as pioneers of a great pros- 
pective civilization, which would carry the American 
name and American institutions, by the force of superior 
intelligence, labor and energy, to untold results, he 
among other things said : 

"I would advise you, therefore, that your legislation 
should be such as will guard equally the rights of labor 
and the rights of property, without running into ultra- 
isms on either hand ; as will recognize no social distinc- 
tions except those which merit and knowledge, religion 



History of Minnesota. 63 

and morals unavoidably create ; as will suppress crime, 
encourage virtue, give free scope to enterprise and in- 
dustry ; as will promptly and without delay administer to 
and supply all the legitimate wants of the people — laws, 
in a word, in the proclamation of which will be kept 
steadily in view the truth that this territory is designed 
to be a great state, rivalling in population, wealth and 
energy her sisters of the Union, and that consequently 
all laws not merely local in their objects should be 
framed for the future as well as the present. * * * 

"Our territory, judging from the experience of the 
few months since public attention was called to its many 
advantages, will settle rapidly. Nature has done much 
for us. Our productive soil and salubrious climate will 
bring thousands of immigrants within our borders ; it is 
of the utmost moment that the foundation of our legis- 
lation should be healthful and solid. A knowledge of 
this fact will encourage tens of thousands of others to 
settle in our midst, and it may not be long ere we may 
with truth be recognized throughout the political and 
the moral world as indeed the "Polar Star" of the re- 
publican galaxy. * * * 

"No portion of the earth's surface perhaps combines 
so many favorable features for the settler as this terri- 
tory, — watered by the two greatest rivers of our conti- 
nent, the Missouri sweeping its entire western border, 
the Mississippi and Lake Superior making its eastern 
frontier, and whilst the States of Wisconsin and Iowa 
limit us on the south, the possessions of the Hudson Bay 
Company present the only barrier to our domain on the 
extreme north; in all embracing an area of 166,000 
square miles, a country sufficiently extensive to admit 
of the erection of four states of the largest class, each 
enjoying in abundance most of the elements of future 



64 History of Minnesota. 

greatness. Its soil is of the most productive character, 
yet our northern latitude saves us from malaria and 
death, which in other climes are so often attendant on a 
liberal soil. Our people, under the healthful and brac- 
ing influences of this northern climate, will never sink 
into littleness, but continue to possess the vigor and the 
energy to make the most of their natural advantages." 

This message, while not in the least exaggerating the 
actual situation, was well calculated to attract immigra- 
tion to this region. It was written in a year of great 
activity in that line. Gold had been discovered in Cali- 
fornia, and the thoughts of the pioneer were attracted in 
that direction, and it needed extraordinary inducements 
to divert the stream to any other point. It was exten- 
sively quoted in the eastern papers, and much comment- 
ed upon, and succeeded beyond all expectations in 
awakening interest in the Northwest. It was particu- 
larly attractive in Maine, where the people were expe- 
rienced in lumbering, and many of them flocked to the 
Valley of the St. Croix and the Falls of St. Anthony, 
and inaugurated the lumbering business, which has since 
grown to such immense proportions. The valleys of the 
St. Croix, the Rum, and the Upper Mississippi rivers, 
with their tributaries, soon resounded with the music of 
the woodman's axe. Saw mills were erected, and Min- 
nesota was recognized among the great lumber pro- 
ducing regions. 

Although immigration continued to be quite rapid 
during the years 1850-54, it was not until about the year 
1855 that it acquired a volume that was particularly no- 
ticeable. The reader must remember that Minnesota 
was on the extreme border of America, and that it rep- 
resented to the immigrant only those attractions inci- 
dent to a new territory possessing the general advan- 



History of Minnesota. 65 

tages of good climate, good soil and good government 
as far as developed. There was no gold, no silver, nor 
other special inducements. The only way of reaching it 
was by land on wheels, or by the navigable rivers. 
There was not a railroad west of Chicago. To give an 
idea of the rush that came in 1855, I quote from the 
"History of St. Paul," by J. Fletcher Williams, for many 
years secretary of the Minnesota Historical Society, 
published in 1876. Speaking of the immigration of 
1855, he says: 

"Navigation opened on April 17th, the old favorite, 
'War Eagle,' leading the van with 814 passengers. 
The papers chronicled the immigration that spring as 
unprecedented. Seven boats arrived in one day, each 
having brought to Minnesota two hundred to six hun- 
dred passengers. Most of these came through St. Paul 
and diverged hence to other parts of the territory. It 
was estimated by the packet company that they brought 
thirty thousand immigrants into Minnesota that season. 
Certainly 1855, 1856 and 1857 were the three great 
years of immigration in our territorial days. Nothing 
like it has ever been seen." 

In the early fifties, the Mississippi up to, and even 
for a long distance above, the Falls of St. Anthony was 
navigable for steamboats. A fine boat, the "Ans. 
Northrup," once penetrated as far as the Falls of Poke- 
gama, where she was dismantled and her machinery 
transported to the Red River of the North, and four or 
five boats regularly navigated the stream above the falls. 

The Minnesota river, during all the period of our 
early history, and far into the sixties, was navigable for 
large steamers up to Mankato, and in one instance, a 
steamboat carrying a large cargo of Indian goods was 
taken by Culver and Farrington, Indian traders, as far 
5 



gg History of Minnesota. 

as the Yellow Medicine river, and into that river, so that 
the goods were delivered at the agency, situated a few 
miles above its month. I mention this fact because a 
wonderful change has taken place in the watercourses 
and lakes of the state in the past tiwenty odd years, 
which I propose to account for on the only theory that 
seems to me to meet the conditions. Up to about 
twenty years ago, as soon as the ice went out of the 
Minnesota river in the spring, it would rise until it over- 
ran its banks and covered its bottoms for miles on each 
side of its channel, and would continue capable of car- 
rying large steamers until late in August. Since that 
time it has rarely been out of its banks, and navigation 
of its waters has entirely ceased. The same phenomenon 
is observable in relation to many of our lakes. Hun- 
dreds of the smaller ones have entirely dried up, and 
most of the larger ones have become reduced in depth 
several feet. The rainfall has not been lessened, but, if 
anything, has increased. My explanation of the change 
is, that in the advance of civilization, the water sheds or 
basins of these rivers and lakes having been plowed up, 
the rainfall which formerly found its way quickly into 
the streams and lakes over the hard natural surface is 
now absorbed into the soft and receptive ground, and is 
returned by evaporation. This change is generally at- 
tributed to the destruction of forests, but in this case 
that cause has not progressed sufificiently to have pro- 
duced the result, and our streams do not rise in moun- 
tains. 

The trend of immigration toward Minnesota encour- 
aged the organization of transportation companies, by 
boat and stage, for passengers and freight, and by 1856 
it was one of the liveliest communities to be found any- 
where, and, curious as it may seem, this era of prosperity 
was the cause of Minnesota's first great calamity. 



History of Minnesota. 67 

The object of the immigrant is, always, the better- 
ment of his condition. He leaves old communities, 
where competition in all branches of industry is great, 
in the hope of ''getting in on the ground floor," as we 
used to say, when he arrived in a new country, and every 
American, and, in fact, everybody else, wants to get rich 
by head work instead of hand work, if he can. The bulk 
of the immigration that first came to Minnesota re- 
mained in the cities ; there was no agriculture worthy of 
the name. I may say that we had nothing at all to sell, 
and everything we needed to buy. I can remember 
that as late as 1853, and even after, we imported hay in 
bales from Dubuque to feed the horses of St. Paul, 
when there were millions of tons of it growing in the 
Minnesota valley, within a few miles of the city. 

In the progress of emigration to the West, the terri- 
tories have always presented the greatest attractions. 
The settler expects to have a better choice of lands, and 
at original government prices. Society and politics are 
both in the formative condition, and very few emigrants 
omit the latter consideration from their hopes and ex- 
pectations. In fact, political preferment is a leading- 
motive with many of them. 

Under the influence of this great rush of immigra- 
tion it is very natural that the prevailing idea should be 
that lands would greatly increase in value in the near 
future, and everybody became a speculator. Towns and 
cities sprang into existence like mushrooms in a night. 
Scarcely anyone was to be seen without a town-site map 
in his hands, the advantages and beauties of which ficti- 
tious metropolis he was ready to present in the most elo- 
quent terms. Everything useful was neglected, and 
speculation was rampant. There were no banks of is- 
sue, and all the money that was in the country^ was bor- 



68 History op Minnesota. 

rowed in the East. In order to make borrowing easy, 
the law placed no restrictions on the rate of interest, and 
the usual terms were three per cent per month, with the 
condition that if the principal was not paid at maturity, 
the interest should be increased to five per cent per 
month. Everybody was in debt on these ruinous terms ; 
which, of course, could not last long before the inevita- 
ble explosion. The price of lands, and especially town 
lots, increased rapidly, and attained fabulous rates; in 
fact, some real property in St. Paul sold in 1856 for more 
money than it has ever since brought. 

THE PANIC. 

The bubble burst by the announcement of the failure 
of the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company, which 
reached St. Paul on Aug. 24, 1857. The failure of this 
financial institution precipitated a panic all over the 
country. It happened just on the recurrence of the 
twenty year period which has marked the pecuniary dis- 
asters of the country, beginning with 1837. Its effects 
on Minnesota were extremely disastrous. The eastern 
creditors demanded their money, and the Minnesota 
debtors paid as long as a dollar remained in the country, 
and all means of borrowing more being cut off, a most 
remarkable condition of things resulted. Cities like St. 
Paul and St. Anthony, having a population of several 
thousands each, were absolutely without money to carry 
on the necessary commercial functions. A temporary 
remedy was soon discovered, by every merchant and 
shopkeeper issuing tickets marked "Good for one dollar 
at my store," and every fractional part of a dollar, down 
to five cents. This device tided the people for a while, 
but scarcely any business establishment in the territory 
weathered the storm, and many people who had con- 
sidered themselves beyond the chance of disaster were 



History of Minnesota. 69 

left without resources of any kind and hopelessly bank- 
rupt. The distress was great and universal, but it was 
bravely met, and finally overcome. 

Dreadful as this affliction was to almost everyone in 
the territory, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. 
It compelled the people to abandon speculation, and 
seek honest labor in the cultivation of the soil and the 
development of the splendid resources that generous na- 
ture had bestowed upon the country. Farms were 
opened by the thousands, everybody went to work, and 
in ten or a dozen years, Minnesota had a surplus of forty 
millions of bushels of wheat with which to supply the 
hungry world. 

LAND TITLES. 

All the lands of Minnesota were the property of the 
United States, and title to them could only be obtained 
through the regular methods of preemption, town-site 
entry, public sales, or private entries. One event oc- 
curred on Aug. 14, 1848, which illustrates so clearly the 
way in which western men protect their rights that I 
v^ll relate it. The recognized price of public lands was 
one dollar and a quarter per acre, and all pioneer set- 
tlers were willing to pay that sum, but when a public 
sale was made, any one could bid whatever he was will- 
ing to pay. Under the administration of President 
Polk, a public sale of lands was ordered to be made at 
the land office at St. Croix Falls, of lands lying partly in 
Minnesota and partly in Wisconsin. The lands adver- 
tised for sale included those embraced in St. Paul and 
St. Anthony. The settlers selected Henry H. Sibley as 
their trustee, to buy their lands for them, to be con- 
veyed to them subsequently. It was a high offense un- 
der the United States laws to do any act that would tend 



70 History of Minnesota. 

to prevent persons bidding- at the sales. Mr. Sibley 
appeared at the sale, and bid off every tract of land that 
was occupied by an actual settler at the price of $1.25 
per acre. The o-eneral, in a paper he read before the 
Historical Society, says of this affair: 

"I was selected by the actual settlers to bid off por- 
tions of the land for them, and when the hour for busi- 
ness arrived, my seat was universally surrounded by a 
number of men with hug-e bludgeons. What was meant 
by the proceeding, I could, of course, only surmise, but 
I would not have envied the fate of the individual who 
would have ventured to bid against me." 

It has always been assumed in the far West, and I 
think justly, that the pioneers who first settle the land 
and give it value should enjoy every advantage that 
flows from such priority, and the violation of laws that 
impede such opportunity is a very venial offense. So 
universal was the confidence reposed in Mr. Sibley, that 
many of the French settlers, the title to whose lands be- 
came vested in him, by his purchase at this sale, insisted 
that it should remain in him, and he found it quite difii- 
cult in many cases to get them to accept deeds from him. 

THE FIRST NEWSPAPER. 

Although the first message of the governor went a 
great way in introducing Minnesota to the world, she 
was particularly fortunate in the establishment of her 
first newspapers. The Stillwater convention of 1848. 
of which I have spoken, first suggested to Dr. A. Ran- 
dall, who was an attache of Dr. Owen's geological corps, 
then engaged in a survey of this region by order of the 
government, the necessity of a newspaper for the new 
territory. He was possessed of the means and enter- 
prise to accomplish the then rather difficult undertaking, 



History of Minnesota. 71 

and was promised ample support by leading men of the 
territory. He returned to his home in Cincinnati in 
the fall of 1848, intending- to purchase the plant and start 
the paper that year, but the navigation of the rivers 
closed earlier than usual, and he was foiled in his at- 
tempt. He. however, set up his press in Cincinnati, 
and got out a number or two of his paper there. It was 
then called the "Minnesota Register," and appeared as of 
the date of April 2"/, 1849, and as printed in St. Paul. 
It was in fact printed in Cincinnati about two weeks 
earlier. It contained valuable articles from the pens of 
H. H. Sibley and Henry M. Rice. These articles, added 
to Mr. Randall's extensive knowledge of the country, 
made the first issue a great local success. It was the 
first Minnesota paper ever published, and bears date 
just one day ahead of the Pioneer, subsequently pub- 
lished by James M. Goodhue, which was actually printed 
in the territory. Dr. Randall did not carry out his in- 
tention, but was caught in the California vortex, and did 
not return to Minnesota. 

James M. Goodhue of Lancaster, Wis., who was 
editing the Wisconsin Herald, when he heard of the or- 
ganization of the new territory, immediately decided to 
start a paper in St. Paul, and as soon as navigation 
opened in the spring of 1849, h^ came up with his press 
and type. He met with many dilificulties and obstruc- 
tions, necessarily incident to a new place in a venture 
such as was his, but he succeeded in issuing the first 
number of his paper on the twenty-eighth day of April, 
1849. His first inclination was to call his paper the 
"Epistle of St. Paul,'^ but on sober reflection he was con- 
vinced that the name might shock the religious sensi- 
bilities of the community, especially as he did not pos- 
sess many of the attributes of our patron saint, and he 
decided to call his paper "The Minnesota Pioneer." 



72 History of Minnesota. 

In his first issue he speaks of his establishment of 
that day, as follows: 

"We print and issue this number of the Pioneer in a 
building through which out-of-doors is visible by more 
than five hundred apertures ; and as for our type, it is 
not safe from being pied on the galleys by the wind." 
The rest can be imagined. 

Mr. Goodhue was just the man to be the editor of 
the first paper of a frontier territory. He was energetic, 
enterprising, brilliant, bold and belligerent. He con- 
ducted the Pioneer with great success and advantage to 
the territory until the year iSqi, when he published an 
article on Judge Cooper, censuring him for absenteeism, 
which is a very good specimen of the editorial style of 
that day. He called the judge "a sot," "a brute," "an 
ass," "a. profligate vagabond," and closed his article in 
the following language : 

"Feeling some resentment for the wrongs our terri- 
tory has so long suffered by these men, pressing upon us 
like a dispensation of wrath, — a judgment — a curse — a 
plague, unequalled since Egypt went lousy, — we sat 
down to write this article with some bitterness, but our 
very gall is honey to what they deserve." 

In those fighting days, such an article could not fail 
to produce a personal collision. A brother of Judge 
Cooper resented the attack, and in the encounter be- 
tween them, Goodhue was badly stabbed and Cooper 
was shot. Neither wound proved fatal at the time, but 
it was always asserted by the friends of each combatant, 
and generally believed, that they both died from the ef- 
fects of these wounds. 

The original Minnesota Pioneer still lives in the Pio- 
neer Press of to-day, which is published in St. Paul. It 
has been continued under several names and edited by 



History of Minnesota. 73 

different men, but has never been extinguished or lost 
its relation of lineal descendant from the original Pio- 
neer. 

Nothing tends to show the phenomenal growth of 
Minnesota more than the fact that this first newspaper, 
issued in 1849, has been followed by the publication of 
579 papers, which is the number now issued in the state 
according to the last official list obtainable. They ap- 
pear daily, weekly and monthly, in nearly all written 
languages, English, French, German, Swedish, Norwe- 
gian, Danish, Bohemian, and one in Icelandic, published 
in Ivyon county. 

BANKS. 

With the first great increase in immigration business 
was necessarily enlarged, and banking facilities became 
a necessity. Dr. Charles W. Borup, a Danish gentle- 
man, who was engaged in the fur trade at Lake Su- 
perior as an agent for the American Fur Company, and 
Mr. Charles H. Oakes, a native of Vermont, came to St. 
Paul, and established a bank in 1853. They were broth- 
ers-in-law, having married sisters. They did a private 
banking business, under the name of Borup & Oakes, 
which adapted itself to the needs of the community, in- 
cluding real estate, and almost any other kind of venture 
that offered. The house of Borup & Oakes was the 
first banking establishment in Minnesota, and weathered 
all the financial storms that swept over the territory in 
its early history. 

They were followed by Truman M. Smith, but he 
went down in the panic of 1857-58. Then came Bid- 
well's Exchange Bank, followed by C. H. Parker and A. 
Vance Brown. Mackubin & Edgerton opened a bank 
in 1854, which was the ancestor of the present Second 



74 History of Minnesota. 

National Bank, and always legitimate. I think Erastus 
S. Edg-erton may justly be said to have been the most 
successful banker of all that were early engaged in the 
business. An enumeration of the banks and bankers 
which succeeded each other in these early times would 
be more appropriate in a narrative of the localities where 
they operated than in a general history of the state. It 
is sufficient to say that nearly all, if not all, of them suc- 
cumbed to the financial disasters in 1857-58, and there 
was no banking worthy of the name until the passage of 
the banking law of July 26, 1858. But this act was a 
mere makeshift to meet a financial emergency, and it 
was not based upon sound financial principles. It al- 
lowed the oro-anization of banks and the issue of circu- 
lating bank notes upon securities that were capable of 
being fraudulently overvalued by misrepresentation, 
and, as a matter of course, advantage was taken of the 
laxity of the provisions of the law, and securities which 
had no intrinsic value in fact were made available as the 
foundation of bank issues, with the inevitable result of 
disaster. 

Another method of furnishing the community with 
a circulating medium was resorted to by a law of July 
23, 1858. The state auditor was authorized to issue his 
warrants for any indebtedness which the state owed to 
any person in small sums, and the warrants were made 
to resemble bank notes, and bore twelve per cent 
interest. The credit of the state was not sufficiently 
well established in the public confidence to make these 
warrants, which were known as "state scrip," worth 
much over sixty-five or seventy cents on the dollar. 
They were taken by the money changers at that valua- 
tion, and when the state made its first loan of $250,000, 
they were all redeemed in gold at par, with interest at 
twelve per cent. 



History of Minnesota. 75 

In this uncertain way, the financial interests of the 
territory were cared for until the breaking out of the 
Civil War, and the establishment of the national and 
state systems which still exist. 

Another evidence of the growth of the state may be 
found in the fact that at the present time the state has 
within its limits banks in good standing as follows: 
State banks, 172 in number, with a paid-in capital stock 
of $6,736,800, and sixty-seven national banks, with a 
capital stock paid in of $11,220,000. This statement 
does not include either the surplus or the undivided 
profits of these banks, nor the capital employed by pri- 
vate banking concerns which do not fall under the su- 
pervision of the state, which latter item can safely be es- 
timated at $2,000,000. 

THE FUR TRADE. 

The first legitimate business of the territory was the 
fur trade, and the carrying business resulting therefrom. 
Prior to the year 1842 the Northwestern Fur Company 
occupied the territory which is now Minnesota. In 1842 
it sold out to, and was merged into, the American Fur 
Company, which was owned by P. Choteau & Company. 
This company had trading stations at Prairie du Chien 
and Mendota, Henry H. Sibley being their chief factor 
at the latter. The goods imported into the Red river 
settlements and the furs exported therefrom all came 
and went through the difficult and circuitous route by 
way of Hudson Bay. This route was only navigable for 
about two months in the year, on account of the ice. 
The catch of furs and bufifalo robes in that region was 
practically monopolized by the Hudson Bay Company. 
The American Fur Company soon became well estab- 
lished in the Northwest. In 1844 this company sent 



76 History of Minnesota. 

Mr. Norman W. Kittson from the Mendota outfit to es- 
tablish a trading post at Pembina, just south of the Brit- 
ish possessions, with the design of diverting some of the 
fur trade of that region in the direction of the navigable 
waters of the Mississippi. The company, through Mr. 
Kittson, invested some $2,000 in furs at Pembina, and 
had them transported to Mendota in six Pembina carts, 
which returned loaded with merchandise of the charac- 
ter needed by the people of that distant region. This 
venture was the beginning of the fur trade with the Red 
river country, but did not prove a financial success. It 
entailed a loss of about $600, and similar results attended 
the next two years' operations, but the trade increased, 
notwithstanding the desperate efforts of the Hudson 
Bay Company to obstruct it. This company had en- 
joyed a monopoly of the trade without any outside in- 
terference for so long that it looked upon this new en- 
terprise as a direct attack on its vested rights. But Mr. 
Kittson had faith in being able in the near future to work 
up a paying trade, and he persevered. By the year 1850 
the business had so far increased as to involve a con- 
sumption of goods to the extent of $10,000, with a re- 
turn of furs to the amount of $15,000. Five years later 
the goods sent to Pembina amounted in value to $24,- 
000, and the return of furs to $40,000. In 185 1 the firm 
of Forbes & Kittson was organized, and also "The St. 
Paul Outfit," to carry on the supply business. When 
St. Paul became of some importance in 1849 the termi- 
nus and supply depot was removed to that point, and the 
trade rapidly increased in magnitude, and made St. Paul 
one of the largest fur markets in America, second only 
to St. Louis, the trade of which city consisted mostly 
of bufifalo robes, which was always regarded as a distinct 
branch of the business, in contrast with that of fine furs. 



History of Minnesota. 77 

In the early days the Indians and a few professional 
trappers were about all who caught fur animals, but as 
the country became more settled the squatters added to 
their incomes by such trapping as their environments 
afforded, which increased the market at St. Paul by the 
addition of all Minnesota, which then included both of 
the Dakotas, and northern Wisconsin. 

The extent and value of this trade can better be un- 
derstood by a statement of the increase of the number of 
carts engaged in it between 1844 and 1858. In the first 
year mentioned six carts performed all the required 
service, and in 1858 six hundred carts came from Pem- 
bina to St. Paul. After the year 1858 the number of 
carts engaged in the traffic fell ofif, as a steamer had 
been put in operation on the Red river, which reduced 
the land transportation to 216 miles, which had formerly 
been 448 miles, J. C. & H. C. Burbank having estab- 
lished a line of freight trains connecting with the steam- 
er. In 1867, when the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad 
reached St. Cloud, the caravans of carts ceased their 
annual visits to St. Paul. St. Cloud then became the 
terminus of the traffic, until the increase of freight lines 
and the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad to 
the Red river drove these most primitive of all transpor- 
tation vehicles out of business. Another cause of the 
decrease in the fur trade was the imposition of a duty of 
twenty-five per cent on all dressed skins, which included 
bufifalo robes, and from that time on robes that formerly 
came to St. Paul from the British possessions were di- 
verted to Montreal. 

The extent and value of this trade to Minnesota, 
which was then in its infancy, can easily be judged by a 
brief statement of its growth. In 1844 it amounted to 
$1,400 and in 1863 to $250,000. All the money paid 



78 History of Minnesota. 

out for these furs, and larg-e sums besides, would be ex- 
pended in St. Paul for merchandise, in the shape of gro- 
ceries, liquors, dry goods, blankets, household utensils, 
guns and ammunition, and, in fact every article de- 
manded by the needs of a primitive people. Even 
threshers and mowers were included, which were taken 
apart and loaded on the return carts. This trade was 
the pioneer of the great commercial activity which now 
prevails. 

I cannot permit this opportunity to pass without de- 
scribing the Red river cart, and the picturesque people 
who used it, as their like will never be seen again. The 
inhabitants of the Pembina country were principally 
Chippewa half breeds, with an occasional white man, 
prominently Joseph Rolette, of whom I shall hereafter 
speak as the man who vetoed the capital removal bill, 
by running away with it, in 1857. Their principal busi- 
ness w^as hunting the buffalo, in connection with small 
farming, and defending themselves against the invasions 
of their hereditary enemies, the Sioux. They were a 
bold, free race, skilled in the arts of Indian war, fine 
horsemen, and good fighters. 

The Red river cart was a home invention. It was 
made entirely of wood and rawhide. It moved upon 
two wheels, of about a diameter of five feet six inches, 
with shafts for one animal, horse or ox, — generally the 
latter. The wheels were without tires, and their tread 
about three and a half or four inches wide. They would 
carry a load of six to eight hundred pounds, which 
would be protected by canvas covers. They were 
especially adapted to the condition of the country, which 
was largely interspersed with swamps and sloughs, 
which were impassable for any other character of vehicle. 
Their lightness, the width of the surface presented by 



History of Minnesota. 79 

the tread of the wheel and the careful steps of the edu- 
cated animal which drew them, enabled them to go 
where anything else would flounder. The trail which 
they left upon the prairie was deeply cut, and remained 
for many years after they were disused. 

When a brigade of them was ready to leave from 
Pembina for St. Paul, it would be manned by one driver 
for four carts, the train being arranged in single file with 
the animals hitched to the cart before them, so that one 
driver could attend to that number of carts. Their 
speed was about fifteen miles a day, which made the voy- 
age last about a month. When night overtook them 
they formed a circular corral with their carts, the shafts 
pointing inward, with the camp in the center, which 
made a strong fort in case of attack. The animals were 
allowed to graze on the outside, but were carefully 
watched to prevent a stampede. When they reached 
St. Paul they went into camp near some lake, and were 
a great source of interest to all the newcomers. During 
their stay the town would be thronged with the men, 
who were dressed in vari-colored costumes, always in- 
cluding the sash of Pembina, a beautiful girdle, giving 
them a most picturesque appearance. The only truth- 
ful representation of these curious people that has been 
preserved is found in two full length portraits of Joe 
Rollette, one in the gallery of the Minnesota Historical 
Society and the other on the walls of the Minnesota 
Club, in St. Paul, both of which are the gift of a very 
dear friend of the original. 

During the progress of this peculiar traffic many 
people not connected with the established fur compa- 
nies, engaged in the Indian trade, prominently Culver 
and Farrington, Louis Roberts, and Nathan Myrick. I 
remember that Mr. John Farrington made an improve- 



80 History of Minnesota. 

ment in the construction of the Red river cart, by put- 
ting- an iron box in the hub of the wheel, which pre- 
vented the loud squeaking noise they formerly made, 
and so facilitated their movements that they carried a 
thousand pounds as easily as they had before carried 
eight hundred. 

The early fur trade in the Northwest, carried on by 
canoes and these carts, was very appropriately called by 
one of our first historians of Minnesota, "The heroic age 
of American commerce." 

PBMMICAN. 

One of the principal sources of subsistence of these 
frontier people in their long journeys through unin- 
habited regions was pemmican. This food was especial- 
ly adapted to extreme northern countries, where in 
the winter it was sometimes impossible to make fires to 
cook with, and the means of transportation was by dog- 
trains, as it was equally good for man and beast. It 
was invented among the Hudson Bay people, many 
years ago, and undoubtedly from necessity. It was 
made in this way : The meat of the bufifalo, without the 
fat, was thoroughly boiled, and then picked into shreds 
or very small pieces. A sack was made of buffalo skin, 
with the hair on the outside, which would hold about 
ninety pounds of meat. A hole was then dug in the 
ground of sufficient size to hold the sack. It was filled 
with the meat thus prepared, which was packed and 
pounded until it was as hard as it could be made. A 
kettle of boiling hot buffalo fat, in a fluid state, was then 
poured into it, until it was thoroughly permeated, every 
interstice from center to circumference being filled, un- 
til it became a solid mass, perfectly impervious to the air, 
and as well preserved against decomposition as if it had 



History of Minnesota. 81 

been enclosed in an hermetically sealed glass jar. Here 
you had a most nutritious preparation of animal food, 
all ready for use for both man and dog. An analysis of 
this compound proved it to possess more nutriment to 
the pound weight than any other substance ever manu- 
factured, and with a winter camp appetite, it was a very 
palatable dish. Its great superiority over any other kind 
of food was its not requiring preparation and its porta- 
bility. 

TRANSPORTATION AND EXPRESS. 

With the increase of trade and business naturally 
came the need of greater transportation facilities, and 
the men to furnish them were not wanting. John C. 
Burbank of St. Paul may be said to have been the pioi- 
neer in that line, although several minor lines of stages 
and ventures in the livery business preceded his efforts. 
Willoughby & Powers, Allen & Chase, M. O. Walker 
& Company of Chicago, and others, were early engaged 
in this work. In 1854 the Northwestern Express Com- 
pany was organized by Burbank & Whitney, and in 
1856 Captain Russell Blakeley succeeded Mr. Whitney, 
and the express business became well established in 
Minnesota. In 1858-59 Mr. Burbank got the mail con- 
tract down the river, and established an express line 
from St. Paul to Galena, in connection with the Ameri- 
can Express Company, whose lines extended to Galena 
as its western terminus. Steamboats were used in sum- 
mer and stages in winter. In the fall of 1859 the Min- 
nesota Stage Company was formed by a consolidation 
of the Burbank interests with those of Allen & Chase, 
and the line extended up the Mississippi to St. Anthony 
and Crow Wing. Other lines and interests were pur- 
chased and united, and in the spring of i860 Col. John 
6 



82 History of Minnesota. 

L. Merriam became a member of the firm, and for more 
than seven years Messrs. Burbank, Blakeley & Merriam 
constituted the firm and carried on the express and stage 
business in Minnesota. This business increased rapidly, 
and in 1865 this firm worked over seven hundred horses, 
and employed two hundred men. 

During- this staging period the railroads from the 
East centered in Chicago, and gradually reached the 
Mississippi river from that point; first at Rock Island, 
next at Dunleith, opposite Dubuque, then at Prairie du 
Chien, next at Prairie La Crosse, — each advance carry- 
ing them nearer Minnesota. The Prairie du Chien ex- 
tension was continued across the river at McGregor in 
Iowa, and thence up through Iowa and Southern Min- 
nesota to Minneapolis and St. Paul. In 1872 the St. 
Paul & Chicago Railroad was finished from St. Paul 
down the west bank of the Mississippi to Winona and 
was purchased by the Milwaukee & St. Paul Company, 
and by that company was, in 1873, extended still further 
down the river to La Crescent, opposite to La Crosse, 
which completed the connection with the eastern trains. 
This road was popularly known as the "River Road." 
Various other railroads were soon completed, covering 
the needs of the settled part of the state, and the princi- 
pal stage lines either withdrew to the westward, or gave 
up their business. 

The growth in the carrying line has since become im- 
mense throughout the state, and may be judged when 
I say that there are now five strong daily lines to Chi- 
cago, the Burlington, the Omaha, the Milwaukee, the 
Wisconsin Central and the Chicago Great Western, and 
three transcontinental lines departing daily for the Pa- 
cific Coast, the Northern Pacific, the Great Northern 
and the Sault Ste. Marie (connecting with the Canadian 



History of Minnesota. 83 

Pacific). Besides these prominent trains, there are in- 
numerable lesser ones connecting with nearly every part 
of the state. More passenger trains arrive at, and de- 
part from, the St. Paul Union Depot than at any other 
point in the state. They aggregate 104 in, and the same 
number out every day. Many — perhaps the most — of 
these trains go to Minneapolis. The freight trains pass- 
ing these points are, of course, less regular in their 
movements than the scheduled passenger trains, but 
their number is great, and their cargoes of incalculable 
value. 

LUMBER. 

A large portion of Minnesota is covered with excep- 
tionally fine timber. The northern section, traversed 
by the Mississippi and its numerous branches, the St. 
Croix, the St. Louis, and other streams, was covered 
with a growth of white and Norway pine of great value, 
and a large area of its central western portion with hard 
timber. At a very early day in the history of our state 
these forests attracted the attention of lumbermen from 
different parts of the country, principally from Maine, 
who erected sawmills at the Falls of St. Anthony, Still- 
water and other points, and began the cutting of logs 
to supply them. Nearly all the streams were navigable 
for logs, or were easily made so, and thus one of the 
great industries of the state had its beginning. Quite 
an amount of lumber was manufactured at Minneapolis 
in the fifties, but no official record of the amounts were 
kept until 1870. An estimate of the standing pine in 
the state was made by the United States government for 
the census of 1880, which was designed to include all 
the standing pine on the streams leading into the Mis- 
sissippi, the Rainy Lake river, the St. Croix, and the 



84 History of Minnesota. 

head of Lake Superior; in fact, the whole state. The 
estimate was 10,000,000,000 feet. When this estimate 
was made, it was accepted by the best informed kimber- 
men as approximately correct. The mills at Minneapo- 
lis and above, in the St. Croix valley, and in what was 
called the Duluth district, were cutting about 500,000.- 
000 feet a year. It was expected that there would be 
a gradual increase in the consumption of lumber made 
by Minnesota mills, and it was therefore estimated that 
in about fifteen years, all the white pine in the state 
would be cut into lumber and sold; but such has not 
proved to be the case, although the production has rap- 
idly increased as was expected. But this difference be- 
tween the estimate and the result is not of much conse- 
quence, as there is nothing more unreliable than an esti- 
mate of standing timber, and especially is such the case 
when covering a large area of country. Since 1880 the 
production of lumber in the state has increased from 
year to year, until it is at the present time fully 1,629,- 
110,000 feet of pine logs every year. The cut made by 
the Minneapolis mills alone in 1898 was 469,701,000 
feet, with a corresponding amount of laths and shin- 
gles. But this pace cannot be kept up much longer, 
and apprehensions of the entire destruction of the forests 
of the state are becoming quite prevalent among the 
people. These fears are taking the shape of associations 
for the promotion of scientific forestry, and the estab- 
lishment of large forest reserves near the headwaters of 
our streams, which are to serve also the purpose of na- 
tional parks. In assigning a cause for the lowering of 
our streams, and the drying up of many of our lakes, 
in a former part of this work, I attribute it to the plow- 
ing up of their valleys and watersheds, and not to the de- 
struction of the forests, because I do not think that the 



History of Minnesota. . 85 

latter reason has sufficiently progressed to produce the 
result, although it is well known that the destruction of 
growing timber about the head waters of streams oper- 
ates disastrously upon the volume of their waters and 
the regularity of its flow. Minnesota is the best watered 
state in the Union, and every precaution should be taken 
to maintain this advantage. From the extent of the in- 
terest displayed in the direction of forest reserves and 
their scientific administration, we have every reason to 
hope for speedy and final success. The state and inter- 
state parks already established will be noticed hereafter. 

RELIGION. 

The growth of the religious element of a new coun- 
try is always one of its interesting features, and I will en- 
deavor to give a short account of the progress made in 
this line in Minnesota from the mission period, which 
was directed more particularly to the Christianizing of 
the Indians. I will begin with the first structure ever 
erected in the state, designed for religious purposes. It 
was a very small beginning for the prodigious results 
that have followed it. I speak of the little log "Chapel 
of Saint Paul," built by the Rev. Lucian Galtier, in Oc- 
tober, 1 84 1, in what is now the city of St. Paul. 

Father Galtier was a French priest of the Church of 
Rome. He was sent by the ecclesiastic authorities of 
Dubuque to the Upper Mississippi country, and arrived 
at Fort Snelling in April, 1840, and settled at St. Peters 
(now Mendota), where he soon tired of inaction, and 
sought a larger field among the settlers who had found 
homes further down the river, in the neighborhood of 
the present St. Paul. He decided that he could facili- 
tate his labors by erecting a church at some point acces- 
sible to his parishioners. Here he found Joseph Rondo, 



86 History of Minnesota. 

Edward Phalen, Vetal Guerin, Pierre Bottineau, the 
Gervais Brothers, and a few others. The settlers en- 
couraged the idea of building a church, and a question 
of much importance arose as to where it should be 
placed. I will let the good father tell his own story as 
to the selection of a site. In an account of this matter, 
which he prepared for Bishop Grace in 1864, he says: 

"Three different points were offered, one called La 
Pointe Basse, or Pointe La Claire (now Pig's Eye) ; but 
I objected because that locality was the very extreme 
end of the new settlement, and in high ^vater, was ex- 
posed to inundation. The idea of building a church 
which might at any day be swept down the river to St. 
Louis did not please me. Two miles and a half further 
up, on his elevated claim (now the southern point of 
Dayton's Bluff), Mr. Charles Mouseau offered me an 
acre of his ground, but the place did not suit my pur- 
pose. I was truly looking ahead, thinking of the fu- 
ture as well as the present. Steamboats could not stop 
there ; the bank was too steen, the place on the summit 
of the hill too restricted, and communication difficult 
with the other parts of the settlement up and down the 
river. 

"After mature reflection, I resolved to put up the 
church at the nearest possible point to the cave, because 
it would be more convenient for me to cross the river 
there when coming from St. Peters, and because it 
would be also the nearest point to the head of naviga- 
tion, outside of the reservation line. Mr. B. Gervais 
and Mr. Vetal Guerin, two good, quiet farmers, had the 
only spot which appeared likely to answer the purpose. 
They consented jointly to give me the ground necessary 
for a church site, a garden and a small graveyard. I 
accepted the extreme eastern nart of Mr. Vetal's claim, 



History op Minnesota. 87 

and the extreme west of Mr. Gervais'. According-ly, in 
the month of October, 1841, logs were prepared and a 
church erected, so poor that it well reminded one of the 
stable of Bethlehem. It was destined, however, to be the 
nucleus of a great city. On the first day of November, 
in the same year, I blessed the new basilica,3.nd dedicated 
it to Saint Paul, the apostle of nations. I expressed a wish, 
at the same time, that the settlement would be known 
by the same name, and my desire was obtained. I had, 
previously to this time, fixed my residence at St. Peters, 
and as the name of Paul is generally connected with that 
of Peter, and the Gentiles being well represented at the 
new place in the persons of Indians, I called it St. Paul. 
The name "Saint Paul," applied to a town or city 
seemed appropriate. The monosyllable is short, sounds 
well, and is understood by all denominations of Christi- 
ans. When Mr. Vetal was married, I published the 
banns as those of a resident of St. Paul. A Mr. Jackson 
put up a store, and a grocery was opened at the foot of 
Gervais' claim. This soon brought steamboats to land 
there. Thenceforth the place was known as 'Saint Paul 
Landing,' and later on as Saint Paul." 

The chapel was a small log structure — one story 
high, one door, and no windows in front, with two win- 
dows on each side, and one in the rear end. It had on 
the front gable end a large wooden cross, which pro- 
jected above the peak of the roof some six or eight feet. 
It occupied a conspicuous position, on the top of the 
high bluff overlooking the Mississippi, some six or eight 
hundred feet beloiw the point where the Wabasha street 
bridge now spans the river, I think, between Minnesota 
and Cedar streets. 

The region thus named was formerly known by the 
appellation of "Pig's Eye." The state owes Father 



88 History of Minnesota. 

Galtier a debt of gratitude for having changed it, as it 
seems impossible that the capital city could ever have at- 
tained its present majestic proportions, numerous and 
cultivated population, and many other advantages and 
attractions, under the handicap of such a name. 

In the first 'New Year's address ever printed in Min- 
nesota, on Jan. i, 1850, supposed to be by Editor Good- 
hue, the following lines appeared : 

"Pig's Eye, converted thou shall be, like Saul: 
Arise, and be, henceforth, SAINT PAUL." 

Father Galtier died Feb. 21, 1866. 

The chapel of Saint Paul, after having been the first 
to greet all newcomers by way of the Mississippi for fif- 
teen years, was taken down in 1856. 

The next representative of the Catholic church to 
come to Minnesota was the Rev. Augustin Ravonx, who 
arrived in the fall of 1841. He went up the St. Peter's 
river to Traverse des Sioux, where he commenced the 
study of the Sioux language. Soon after he went to Lit- 
tle Rock, on the St. Peters, and thence to Lac qui Parle. 
After the removal of Father Galtier to Keokuk, in Iowa, 
he had under his charge, Mendota, St. Paul, Lake Pepin 
and St. Croix, until the second day of July, 185 1, when 
the Right Reverend Bishop Cretin came to Sc. Paul, 
and assumed charge of church matters in Minnesota. 
Father Ravoux is still living in St. Paul at the advanced 
age of eighty-five years. His venerable and priestly 
form may often be seen upon the streets, in excellent 
health. ' 

At the time of the coming of Father Galtier the 
country on the east side of the Mississippi, in what is 
now Minnesota, was under the direct jurisdiction of the 
Bishop of Milwaukee, and the part lying west of the 
river was in the diocese of Dubuque. i 



History of Minnesota. 89 

The growth of the church kept up with the rapid set- 
tlement of the country. In August, 1859, the Right 
Reverend Thomas L. Grace succeeded Bishop Cretin as 
bishop of St. Paul, and was himself succeeded by the 
Right Reverend John Ireland, in July, 1884. So im- 
portant had Minnesota become to the Catholic Church 
in America that, in May of 1888, the see of St. Paul was 
raised to metropolitan dignity and Archbishop Ireland 
was made its first Archbishop, which high office he now 
holds, 

I will not attempt even a short biography of Arch- 
bishop Ireland. His fame is world-wide ; he is a church- 
man, statesman, diplomat, orator, citizen and patriot, — 
in each of which capacities he excels. He has carried the 
fame of Minnesota to all parts of the world where the 
Church is known, and has demonstrated to the Pope in 
Rome, to the Catholics in France, and to the Protestants 
in America that there can be perfect consistency and 
harmony between Catholicism and republican govern- 
ment. A history of Minnesota without a fitting tribute 
to Archbishop John Ireland would be incomplete indeed. 

The representatives of the Protestant faith have not 
been behind their Catholic brethern in providing re- 
ligious facilities for their adherents. They followed im- 
migration closely, and sometimes accompanied it. 
Scarcely would an aggregation of people congregate at 
any one point in sufificient numbers to gain the name of 
a village, or a settlement, before a minister would be 
called and a church erected. The church went hand in 
hand with the schoolhouse, and in many instances one 
building answered for both purposes. There came 
Lutherans from Germany and Scandinavia, Episcopali- 
ans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Cal- 
vinists, UniVersalists, Unitarians, and every sect into 



90 History of Minnesota. 

which Protestantism is divided, from New Eng-land and 
other Eastern States. They all found room and encour- 
agement, and dwelt in harmony. I can safely say, that 
few Western States have been peopled by such law- 
abiding-, industrious, moral and religious inhabitants as 
were the first settlers of Minnesota. There was nothing 
to attract the ruffianly element, — no gold, silver, or 
other mines; the chief industry being peaceful agricul- 
ture. So free from all disturbing or dangerous elements 
did we consider our territory that I have on several oc- 
casions taken a wagon loaded with specie, amounting 
to nearly one hundred thousand dollars, from St. Paul 
to the Indian agencies at the Redwood and Yellow Med- 
icine rivers, a distance of two hundred miles, through a 
very sparsely settled country, without any guard except 
myself and driver, with possibly an Indian picked up on 
the road, when I was entitled to a squad of dragoons for 
the asking. 

In the early days the Episcopal Church in Minnesota 
was within the diocese of Wisconsin, and its functions 
administered by the venerable Bishop Kemper, who oc- 
casionally made us a visit, but in 1859 the church had 
expanded to such an extent that the state was organized 
into a separate diocese, and the Rev. Henry B. Whip- 
ple, then rector of a church in Chicago, was elected 
bishop of Minnesota, and still retains that high office. 
Bishop Whipple, by his energy, learning, goodness and 
universal popularity, has built up his church in this state 
to a standard surpassed by none in the respect in which 
it is held and the influence for good which it exerts. 
The official duties of the bishop have been so enlarged 
by the growth of his church as to necessitate the ap- 
pointment of a bishop coadjutor to assist him in their 
performance, which latter office is filled by the Rev. 



History of Minnesota. 91 

Mahlon N. Gilbert, who is especially well qualified for 
the position.* 

It would be impossible in a brief history like this to 
go very deeply or particularly into the growth of the 
religious element of the state. A general presentation 
of the subject in two grand divisions, Catholic and 
Protestant, is enough. Suffice it to say, that every sect 
and subdivision of the latter has its representative in the 
state, with the one exception of Mormonism, if that can 
be classified as a Protestant church. There are enough 
of them to recall the answer of the French traveler in 
America, when asked of his opinion of the Americans. 
He said: "They are a most remarkable people; they 
have invented three hundred rehgions and only one 
sauce." No matter how their creeds may be criticised, 
their joint efforts, Catholic and Protestant, have filled 
the state with religious, charitable, benevolent and edu- 
cational institutions to an extent rarely witnessed out of 
it, so that if a Minnesotan goes wrong, he can blame no 
one but himself. 

RAILrROADS. 

In the year 1857, on the third day of March, the con- 
gress of the United States made an extensive grant of 
lands to the territory to aid in the construction of rail- 
roads. It consisted of every alternate section of land, 
designated by odd numbers, for six sections in width, 
on each side of the roads specified, and their branches. 
The grant mapped out a complete system of roads for 
the territory, and provided that the land granted for each 
road should be applied exclusively to such road, and no 
other purpose whatever. The lines designated in the 
granting act were as follows : 



*Bishop Gilbert died within a few months. 



92 History of Minnesota. 

From Stillwater, by the way of St. Paul and St. An- 
thony to a point between the foot of Big Stone lake and 
the mouth of the Sioux Wood river, with a branch via 
St. Cloud and Crow Wing- to the navigable waters of the 
Red River of the North, at such point as the legislature 
of the territory may determine. 

From St. Paul and from St. Anthony via Minneapo- 
lis to a convenient point of junction west of the Missis- 
sippi to the southern boundary of the territory, in the 
direction of the mouth of the Big Sioux river, with a 
branch via Faribault to the north line of the state of 
Iowa, west of range i6. 

From Winona via St. Peter to a point on the Big 
Sioux river, south of the forty-fifth parallel of north lati- 
tude. 

Also from La Crescent via Target lake up the valley 
of the Root river, to a point east of range 1 7. 

The territory or future state was authorized to sell 
one hundred and twenty sections of this land whenever 
twenty continuous miles of any of the roads or branches 
was completed, — the land so sold to be contiguous to 
the completed road. The right of way or road bed of 
any of the subsidized roads was also granted through 
any of the government lands. The roads were all to be 
completed within ten years, and if any of them were not 
finished by that time the lands applicable to the unfin- 
ished portions were to revert to the government. The 
lands granted by this act amounted to about 4.500,000 
acres. An act was subsequently passed on March 2, 
1865, increasing the grant to ten sections to the mile. 
Various other grants were made at dififerent times, but 
they do not bear upon the subject I am about to present. 

This grant came at a time of great financial depres- 
sion, and when the territory was about to change its de- 
pendent condition for that of a sovereign state in the 



History op Minnesota. 93 

Union. It was greeted as a means of relief that might 
lift the territory out of its financial troubles, and insure 
its immediate prosperity. The people did not take into 
consideration the fact that the lands embraced in the 
grant, although as good as any in the world, were re- 
mote from the habitation of man, lying in a country ab- 
solutely bankrupt, and possessing no present value what- 
ever. Nor did they consider that the whole country 
was laboring under such financial depression that all 
public enterprises were paralyzed ; but such was, unfor- 
tunately, the monetary and business condition. 

On the twenty-third of February, 1857, an act had 
passed the congress of the United States authorizing 
the people of Minnesota to form a constitution prepara- 
tory to becoming a state in the Union. Gen. Willis A. 
Gorman, who was then governor of the territory, called 
a special session of the legislature to take into considera- 
tion measures to carry out the land grant and enabling 
acts. The extra session convened on April 27th. In 
the meantime Governor Gorman's term of office had ex- 
pired, and Samuel Medary of Ohio had been appointed 
as his successor, and had assumed the duties of his of- 
fice. He opened the extra session with an appropriate 
message. The extra session adjourned on the 23d of 
May, and in accordance with the provisions of the en- 
abling act of congress, an election was held on the first 
Monday in June for delegates to a constitutional con- 
vention, which was to assemble at the capitol on the sec- 
ond Monday in July. The constitutional convention is 
an event in the history of Minnesota sufficiently impor- 
tant and imique to entitle it to special treatment, which 
will be given hereafter. 

An act was passed at the extra session, on the 19th 
day of May, 1857, by which the grant of lands made to 



94 History ot Minnesota. 

the territory was formally accepted, "upon the terms, 
conditions and restrictions" contained in the granting 
act. 

On the twenty-second day of May, at the extra ses- 
sion, an act was passed to execute the trust created by 
the land grant act, by which a number of railroad com- 
panies were incorporated to construct roads on the lines 
indicated by the act of congress, and to aid in the build- 
ing of these roads, and the lands applicable to each were 
granted to it. The companies were to receive title to 
the lands as the construction progressed, as provided in 
the granting act. They also had conferred upon them 
powers to issue bonds, in the discretion of the directors, 
and to mortgage their roads and franchise to secure 
them. 

These railroad companies were organized upon the 
hope that the aid extended to them by the grants of land 
would enable them to raise money sufficient to build 
their several roads. They had nothing of their own, and 
no security but the roads and lands upon which to nego- 
tiate loans. The times, and the novel idea of building 
railroads in unpeopled countries, were all against them, 
and, of course, nothing could be done. 

The constitutional convention met and framed an in- 
strument for the fundamental law of the new state which 
was very conservative, and, among other things, con- 
tained the following clause, which was enacted in section 
5 of article IX. : 

"For the purpose of defraying extraordinary ex- 
penses the state may contract debts, but such debts shall 
never in the aggregate exceed two hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars." And another clause found in section 
lo, which is as follows: "The credit of the stafe shall 
never be given or loaned in aid of any individual, asso- 
ciation or corporation." 



History of Minnesota. 95 

It was the intention of the framers of the constitu- 
tion to prevent the legislature from ever using- the credit 
or funds of the state in aid of any private enterprise, and 
these provisions efifectually accomplished that end. 

The people were deeply disappointed when they be- 
came convinced that the roads could not be built with 
the aid that congress had extended, and as this work 
was also looked upon as the only hope of financial relief, 
the case became a desperate one, which could only be 
remedied by the most extreme m.easures. The promo- 
ters of the railroads soon discovered one, in an amend- 
ment of the section of the constitution which prohibited 
the credit of the state being given or loaned to anyone, 
and at the first session of the first legislature, which con- 
vened on Dec. 3, 1857, an act was passed proposing such 
amendment, to be submitted to the people for ratifi- 
cation. The importance of this amendment, and its ef- 
fect and consequences upon the future of the state, de- 
mands that I give it nearly in full. It changed section 
10 as it was originally passed, and made it read as fol- 
lows: 

"Section 10. The credit of that state shall never be 
given or loaned in aid of any individual association or 
corporation, except that, for the purpose of expediting 
the construction of the lines of railroads, in aid of which 
the congress of the United States has granted lands to 
the Territory of Minnesota, the governor shall cause to 
be issued and delivered to each of the companies in 
which said grants are vested by the legislative assembly 
of Minnesota the special bonds of the state, bearing an 
interest of seven per cent per annum, payable semi-an- 
nually in the city of New York, as a loan of public credit, 
to an amount not exceeding twelve hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars, or an aggregate amount to all of said 



96 History op MiNNesoTA. 

companies not exceeding five millions of dollars, in man- 
ner following-, to-wit :" 

The amendment then prescribes that, whenever ten 
miles of railroad was graded so as to be ready for the 
superstructure, it should receive $100,000 of the bonds, 
and when ten miJes should be completed with the cars 
running, the company so completing should receive an- 
other $100,000 of the bonds until each company had re- 
ceived its quota. The bonds were to be denominated 
"State Railroad Bonds," for the payment of which the 
faith and credit of the state was to be pledp^ed. The 
railroad companies were to pay the principal and inter- 
est of the bonds, and to secure such payment they were 
to pledge the net profits of their respective roads, and to 
convey to the state the first two hundred and forty sec- 
tions of land they received, and to deliver to the state 
treasurer an amount of their first mortgage bonds equal 
to the amount of bonds received by them from the state, 
and mortgage to the state their roads and franchises. 
This was all the security the companies could give, but 
the underlying difficulty was that it had no value what- 
ever. There were no roads, no net or other profits. 
The lands had no value whatever except such as lay in 
the future, which was dependent on the construction of 
the roads and the settlement of the country. The bonds 
of the companies, of course, possessed only such value as 
the property they represented, which was nothing, and 
the mortgages were of the same character. The whole 
scheme was based upon hopes, which the slightest ap- 
plication of sober reasoning would have pronounced im- 
possible of fulfillment. But the country was hungry, 
and willing tO' seize upon anything that offered a sem- 
blance or shadow of relief. 

The proposed amendment was to be submitted to the 



History op Minnesota. 97 

people for adoption or rejection, at an election to be held 
on the fifteenth day of April, 1858. In order to fully 
comprehend the condition of the public mind, it should 
be known that the constitution, with all the safeguards 
that I have mentioned, had only been in force since Oct. 
13, 1857, a period of about six months, and had been 
carried by a vote of 30,055 for to 571 against its adop- 
tion. 

The campaign preceding the election was a very ac- 
tive one. The railroad people flooded the state with 
speakers, documents, pictures, glee clubs singing songs 
of the delights of "Riding on the Rail," and every con- 
ceivable artifice was resorted to to carry the amendment. 
It was carried by a vote of 25,023 in favor of its passage, 
to 6,733 against. 

To give an idea of the intense feeling that was ex- 
hibited in this election, it is only necessary to state that 
at the city of Winona there were 1,102 votes cast in favor 
of the amendment and only one vote against it. This 
negative vote, to his eternal honor be it said, was cast by 
Thomas Wilson, afterwards chief justice of the state, and 
now a citizen of St. Paul. 

In the execution of the requirements of the amend- 
ment, the railroad companies claimed that they could is- 
sue first mortgage bonds on their properties to an indefi- 
nite amount and exchange them with the state for its 
bonds, bond for bond, but the governor, who was Hon. 
Henry H. Sibley, construed the amendment to mean 
that the first mortgage bonds of the companies which 
the state was to receive must be an exclusive first lien 
on the lands and franchises of the company. He there- 
fore declined to issue the bonds of the state unless his 
views were adopted. The Minnesota & Pacific Railroad 
Company, one of the land grant corporations, applied to 



98 History op Minnesota. 

the supreme court of the state for a writ of mandamus, 
to compel the governor to issue the bonds. The case 
was heard, and two members of the court holding the 
views of the applicants, the writ was issued. I was a 
member of the court at that time, but entertaining op- 
posite views from the majority, I filed a dissenting opin- 
ion. Anyone sufficiently interested in the question can 
find the case reported in Volume II. of the Minnesota 
Reports, at page 13. This decision was only to be ad- 
visory, as the courts have no power to coerce the execu- 
tive. 

The railroad companies entered into contracts for 
grading their roads, and a sufficient amount of grading 
was done to entitle them to about $2,300,000 of the 
bonds, which were issued accordingly, and went into 
the hands of the contractors to pay for the work done. 
It, however, soon became apparent that no completed 
railroad would ever result from this scheme, even if the 
whole five millions of bonds were issued. What should 
have been known before was made clear when any of 
these state bonds "were put on the market. The credit 
of the state was worthless, and the bonds were valueless. 
The people became as anxious to shake off the incubus 
of debt they had imposed upon their infant state as they 
had been to rush into it. i 

Governor Sibley, in his message, delivered to the 
second legislature in December, 1859, said, in speaking 
of this issue of bonds : 

"I regret to be obliged to state that the measure has 
proved a failure, and has by no means accomplished what 
was hoped for it, either in providing means for the issue 
of a safe currency, or of aiding the companies in the com- 
pletion of the roads." 

At the election, held on Nov. 6, i860, the constitu- 



History of Minnesota. 99 

tion was again amended, by expunging from it the 
amendment of 1858 authorizing the issue of the state 
railroad bonds, and prohibiting any further issue of 
them. An amendment was also made to section 2 of 
Article IX. of the constitution at the same time, by pro- 
viding that no law levying a tax, or making any other 
provisions for the payment of interest or principal of 
the bonds already issued, should take effect or be in 
force until it had been submitted to the people, and 
adopted by a majority of the electors. 

It was very proper to prohibit the issuance of any 
more of the bonds, but the provision requiring a vote 
of the people before those already out could be paid was 
practically repudiation, and the state labored under that 
damaging stigma for over twenty years. Attempts were 
made to obtain the sanction of the people for the pay- 
ment of these bonds, but they were defeated, until it be- 
came unpleasant to admit that one was a resident of 
Minnesota. Whenever the name of Minnesota was 
heard on the floor of congress as an applicant for favors, 
or even for justice, it was met by the charge of repudia- 
tion. This was an era in our history very much to be 
regretted, but the state grew steadily in material wealth. 

On March 2, 1881, the legislature passed an act, the 
general purpose of which was to adjust, with the con- 
sent of the holders, the outstanding bonds, at the rate 
of fifty cents on the dollar, and contained the curious 
provision that the supreme court should decide whether 
it must first be submitted to the people in order to be 
valid or not, and if the supreme court should not so de- 
cide, then an equal number of the judges of the district 
court should act. The supreme court judges declined 
to act, and the governor called upon the district court 
judges to assume the duty. Before any action was taken 
LofC. 



100 History of Minnesota. 

by the latter, the attorney general applied to the su- 
preme court for a writ of prohibition to prevent them 
from taking any action. The case was most elaborately 
discussed, and the opinion of the supreme court was de- 
livered by Chief Justice Gilfillan, which is most exhaus- 
tive and convincing. The court holds that the act of 
1 88 1 is void, by conferring upon the judiciary legislative 
power, and that the amendment to the constitution pro- 
viding that no bonds should be paid unless the law au- 
tliorizing such payment was first submitted to and 
adopted by the people was void, as being repugnant to 
the clause in the constitution of the United States, that 
no state shall pass any law impairing the obligation of 
contracts. With these impediments to a just settlement 
of this question removed, the state was at liberty to make 
such arrangements with its bond creditors as was satis- 
factory. John S. Pillsbury was governor at that time. 
He had always been in favor of paying the bonds, and 
removing the stain from the honor of the state, and find- 
ing his hands free, it did not take him long to arrange 
the whole matter satisfactorily, and to the approval of all 
the parties. The debt was paid by the issue of new bonds, 
at the rate of fifty per cent of the principal and interest of 
the outstanding ones and the surrender of the latter. 
This adjustment ended a transaction that was conceived 
and executed in folly, and was only prevented from 
eventuating in crime by the persistent efforts of our most 
honorable and thoughtful citizens throughout the state. 
The transaction has often been called by those who ad- 
vocated repudiation, "An old Territorial fraud," but 
there was nothing in it but a bad bargain, made under 
the extraordinary pressure of financial difficulties. 



History of Minnesota. 101 

the first railroad actually built. 

The state was restored to all the lands and franchises 
of the various companies by means of foreclosure, and on 
March 8, 1861, passed an act to facilitate the construc- 
tion of the Minnesota & Pacific Railroad, by which act 
the old railroad was rehabilitated, and required to con- 
struct and put in operation its road from St. Paul to St. 
Anthony on or before the first dav of January, 1862. 
The company was required to deposit with the governor 
$10,000 as an earnest of good faith. Worl^-was soon 
commenced, and the first ten miles constructed as re- 
quired. This was the first railroad ever built and oper- 
ated in Minnesota. The first locomotive engine was 
brought up the river on a barge, and landed at the St. 
Paul end of the track in the latter part of October, 1861. 
This pioneer locomotive was called the "William 
Crooks," after an engineer of that name who was very 
active and instrumental in the building of the road. 
This first ten miles of road cost more energy and brain 
work than all the rest of the vast system that has suc- 
ceeded it. It was the initial step in what is now known 
as the Great Northern Railway, a road that spans the 
continent from St. Paul to the Pacific, and reflects upon 
its enterprising builders all the credit due to the pioneer. 

It was not long before the Northern Pacific Railroad 
Company was incorporated by act of congress, passed 
on July 2, 1864. This road was to extend from the head 
of Lake Superior to Puget Sound, on a line north of the 
forty-fifth degree of north latitude, with a branch via 
the valley of the Columbia river to Portland, Ore. The 
company had a grant of land of twenty alternate sections 
through the states. It was commenced shortly after its 
incorporation, but met with financial disaster, and was 
sold under foreclosure of a mortgage, and underwent 



102 History of Minnesota. 

many trials and tribulations, until it was finally com- 
pleted on the eighth day of September, in the year 1883, 
and has been in successful operation ever since. As the 
Northern Pacific has its eastern terminus and general 
offices in St. Paul, it is essentially a Minnesota road. 
The same may be said of the Great Northern, although 
both are transcontinental roads. 

From the small beginning of raih-oad construction in 
1862 have groMfn thirty-seven distinct railroad corpora- 
tions, operating in the state of Minnesota 6,062.69 miles 
of main tracks, according to the official reports of 1898, 
with quite a substantial addition in course of construc- 
tion. These various lines cover and render accessible 
nearly every city, town and village in the state. 

The method of taxation of railroad property adopted 
by the state is a very wise and just one. It imposes a 
tax of three per cent upon the gross earnings of the 
roads, which, in 1896, yielded the comfortable sum of 
$1,037,194.40, the gross earnings of all amounting to 
$36,918,741.71. This plan of taxation gives the state a 
direct interest in the prosperity of the roads, as its taxes 
are increased when business is good and the roads are re- 
lieved from oppressive taxation in time of business de- 
pression. '. 

The grading which was done and for which the bonds 
of the state were issued was, as a general thing, utilized 
in the final construction of the roads. 

THE SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE. 

In 1842 the country north of Iowa and west of the 
Mississippi as far north as the Little Rapids, on the Min- 
nesota river, was occupied by the M'day-wa-kon-ton and 
Wak-pe-ku-ta bands of Sioux. The Wak-pe-ku-ta band 
was at war with the Sacs and Foxes, and was under the 



History of Minnesota. 103 

leadership of two principal chiefs, named Wam-di-sapa 
(the "Black Eagle") and Ta-sa-gi. Wam-di-sapa and 
his band were a lawless, predatory set, whose depreda- 
tions prolonged the war with the Sacs and Foxes, and 
finally separated him and his band from the Wak-pe-ku- 
tas. They moved west towards the Missouri, and occu- 
pied the valley of the Vermillion river, and so thorough 
was the separation that the band was not regarded as 
part of the VVak-pe-ku-ta when the latter, together with 
the M'day-wa-kon-tons, made their treaty with the gov- 
ernment at Mendota in 1851. 

By 1857 all that remained of Wam-di-sapa's strag- 
gling band was about ten or fifteen lodges under the 
chieftainship of Ink-pa-du-ta, or the "Scarlet Point," or 
the ''Red End." They had planted near Spirit lake, 
which lies partly in Dickinson county, Iowa, and partly 
in Jackson county, Minnesota, prior to 1857, and ranged 
the country from there to the Missouri, and were con- 
sidered a bad lot of vagabonds. 

Between 1855 and 1857 a small settlement had 
sprung up about forty miles south of Spirit lake, on the 
In-yan-yan-ke or Rock river. 

In the spring of 1856 Hon. William Freeborn of Red 
Wing (after whom the county of Freeborn in this state 
is called) had projected a settlement at Spirit lake, which, 
by the next spring, contained six or seven houses, with 
as many families. i 

About the same time another settlement was started 
some ten or fifteen miles north of Spirit lake, on the 
head waters of the Des Moines;, and a town laid out 
which was called Springfield. In the spring of 1857 
there were two stores and several families at this place. 

These settlements were on the extreme frontier, and 
very much isolated. There was nothing to the west of 



104 History of Minnesota. 

them until you reached the Rocky Mountains, and the 
nearest settlements on the north and northeast were on 
the Minnesota and Watonwan rivers, while to the south 
lay the small settlement on the Rock river, about forty 
miles distant. All these settlements, although on ceded 
lands, were actually in the heart of the Indian country, 
and absolutely unprotected and defenseless. 

In 1857 I was United States Indian agent for the 
Sioux of the Mississippi, but had lived on the frontier 
long enough before to have acquired a general knowl- 
edge of Ink-pa-du-ta's reputation and his whereabouts. 
I was stationed on the Redwood and Yellow Medicine 
rivers, near where they empty into the Minnesota, and 
about eighty miles from Spirit lake. 

Early in March, 1857, Ink-pa-du-ta's band was hunt- 
ing in the neighborhood of the settlement on the Rock 
river, and one of them was bitten by a dog belonging to 
a white man. The Indian killed the dog. The owner 
of the dog assaulted the Indian, and beat him severely. 
The white men then went in a body to the camp 
of the Indians and disarmed them. The arms were 
either returned to them or they obtained others, I have 
have never ascertained which. They were probably 
given back to them on condition that they should leave, 
as they at once came north to Spirit lake, where they 
must have arrived about the 6th or 7th of March. They 
proceeded at once to massacre the settlers, and killed all 
the men they found there, together with some women, 
and carried into captivity four women, three of whom 
were married and one single. Their names were Mrs. 
Noble, Mrs. Marble, Mrs. Thatcher and Miss Gardner. 
They came north to the Springfield settlement, where 
they killed all the people they found. The total number 
killed at both places was forty-two. 



History op Minnesota. 105 

I was the first person to receive notice of this affair. 
On the 9th of March a Mr. Morris Markham, who had 
been absent from the Spirit lake settlement for some 
time, returned, and found all the people dead or miss- 
ing-. Seeing- signs of Indians, he took it for granted that 
they had prepetrated the outrage. He at once went to 
Spring-field, and reported what he had seen. Some of 
the people fled, but others remained, and lost their lives 
in consequence. It has always been my opinion that, 
being in the habit of trading with these Indians occa- 
sionally, they did not believe they stood in any danger ; 
and, what is equally probable, they may not have be- 
lieved the report. Everyone who has lived in an Indian 
country knows how frequently startling rumors are in 
circulation, and how often they prove unfounded. 

The people of Springfield sent the news to me by 
two young men, who came on foot through the deep 
snow. The story was corroborated in a way that con- 
vinced me that it was true. They arrived on the i8th 
of March, completely worn out and snow-blind. I at 
once made a requisition on Colonel Alexander, com- 
manding at Fort Ridgely, for troops. There were at 
the fort five or six companies of the Tenth United States 
Infantry, and the colonel promptly ordered Capt. Bar- 
nard E. Bee of Company "A" to proceed with his com- 
pany to the scene of the trouble. The country between 
the fort and Spirit lake was uninhabited, and the dis- 
tance from eighty to one hundred miles. I furnished 
two experienced guides from among my Sioux half- 
breeds. They took a pony and a light traineau, put 
on their snowshoes, and were ready to go anywhere. 
Not so with the soldiers, however. They were equipped 
in about the same manner as they would have been in 
campaigning in Florida, their only transportation being 



106 History of Minnesota. 

heavy wheeled army wagons, drawn by six mules. It soon 
became apparent that the outfit could not move straight 
to the objective point, and it became necessary to follow a 
trail down the Minnesota to Mankato and up the Waton- 
wan in the direction of the lake, which was reached after 
one of the most arduous marches ever made by troops, on 
which for many miles the soldiers had to march ahead 
of the mules to break a road for them. The Indians, as 
we expected, were gone. A short pursuit was made, 
but the guides pronounced the camp fires of the Indians 
several days old, and it was abandoned. The dead were 
buried, and after a short stay, the soldiers returned to 
the fort. 

When this affair became known throughout the ter- 
ritory it caused great consternation and apprehension, 
most of the settlers supposing it was the work of the 
Sioux nation. Many of the most exposed abandoned 
their homes temporarily. Their fears, however, were 
allayed by an explanation which I published in the news- 
papers. 

I at once began to devise plans for the rescue of the 
white women. I knew that any hostile demonstration 
would result in their murder. While thinking the mat- 
ter out an event occurred that opened the way to a solu- 
tion. A party of my Indians had been hunting on the 
Big Sioux river, and having learned that Ink-pa-du-ta 
was encamped at Lake Chan-pta-ya-tan-ka, and that he 
had some white women prisoners, two young brothers 
visited the camp and succeeded in purchasing Mrs. Mar- 
ble, and brought her into the Yellow Medicine agency, 
and delivered her to the missionaries, who turned her 
over to me. I received her on the 21st of March, and 
learned that two of the other captives were still alive. 
Of course, my first object was to rescue the survivors, 
and to encourage the Indians to make the attempt, I 



, History o? Minnesota. 107 

paid the brothers who had brought in Mrs. Marble $500 
each. I could raise only $500 at the agency in money,, 
and to make up the deficiency I resorted to a method, 
then novel, but which has since become quite general. 
I issued a bond, which, although done without author- 
ity, met with a better fate than many that followed it, — 
it was paid at maturity. 

As it was the first bond ever issued in what is now 
Minnesota, the two Datokas, Montana, and, I may add, 
the whole Northwest; it may be interesting to give it 
in full: 

"I, STEPHEN R. RIGGS, Missionary among the 
Sioux Indians, and I, CHARLES E. FLANDRAU, 
United States Indian agent for the Sioux, being satis- 
fied that Mak-piya-ka-ho-ton and Si-ha-ho-ta, two Sioux 
Indians, have performed a valuable service to the Terri- 
tory of Minnesota and humanity, by rescuing from cap- 
tivity Mrs. Margaret Ann Marble, and delivering her to 
the Sioux agent, and being further satisfied that the 
rescue of the two remaining white women who are now 
in captivity among Ink-pa-du-ta's band of Indians de- 
pends very much on the liberality shown towards the 
said Indians who have rescued Mrs. Marble, and having 
full confidence in the humanity and HberaHty of the Ter- 
ritory of Minnesota, through its government and citi- 
zens, have this day paid to said two above named In- 
dians, the sum of five hundred dollars in money, and do 
hereby pledge to said two Indians that the further sum 
of five hundred dollars will be paid to them by the Terri- 
tory of Minnesota or its citizens within three months 
from date hereof. 

"Dated, May 22, 1857, at Pa-ju-ta-zi-zi, M. T. 
"STEPHEN R. RIGGS, 

"Missionary, A. B. C. F. M. 
"CHAS. E. FLANDRAU, 
"U. S. Indian Agent for Sioux." 



108 History of Minnesota. 

I immediately called for volunteers to rescue the re- 
maining two women, and soon had my choice. I se- 
lected Paul Ma-za-ku-ta-ma-ni, the president of the 
Hazelwood Republic, An-pe-tu-tok-cha, or John Other- 
day, and Che-tan-ma-za, or the Iron Hawk. I gave 
them a large outfit of horses, wagons, calicos, trinkets of 
all kinds, and a general assortment of things that tempt 
the savage. They started on the twenty-third day of May, 
from the Yellow Medicine agency, on their important 
and dangerous mission. I did not expect them to re- 
turn before the middle of June, and immediately com- 
menced preparations to punish the marauders. I went 
to the fort, and together with Colonel Alexander, we 
laid a plan to attack Ink-pa-du-ta's camp, with the en- 
tire garrison, and utterly annihilate them, which we 
would undoubtedly have accomplished had not an un- 
expected event frustrated our plans. Of course, we 
could not move on the Indians until my expedition had 
returned with the captives, as that would have been cer- 
tain death to them; but just about the time we were 
anxiously expecting them, a couple of steamboats ar- 
rived at the fort with peremptory orders for the whole 
garrison to embark for Utah to join Gen. Albert Sydney 
Johnson's expedition against the Mormons, and that 
was the last I saw of the Tenth for ten years. 

My expedition found that Mrs. Thatcher and Mrs. 
Noble had been killed, but succeeded in bringing in Miss 
Gardner, who was forwarded to me at St. Paul, and by 
me formally delivered to Governor Medary on June 23, 
1857. She was afterwards married, and is now a widow, 
Mrs. Abbie Gardner Sharpe, and resides in the house 
from which she was abducted by the savages, forty-three 
years ago. I paid the Indians who rescued her $400 
each for their services. The territory made an appro- 



History op Minnesota. 109 

priation on the fifteenth day of May, 1857, of $10,000 
to rescue the captives, but as there were no telegraphs 
or other speedy means of communication, the work was 
all done before the news of the appropriation reached the 
border. My outlay, however, was all refunded from 
this appropriation. I afterwards succeeded, with a 
squad of soldiers and citizens, in killing one of Ink-pa- 
du-ta's sons, who had taken an active part in the mas- 
sacre, and that ended the first serious Indian trouble that 
Minnesota was afflicted with. 

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 

By the end of the year 1856 the Territory of Minne- 
sota had attained such growth and wealth that the ques- 
tion of becoming a state within the Union began to at- 
tract attention. It was urged by the government at 
Washington that we were amply capable of taking care 
of ourselves, and sufficiently wealthy to pay our ex- 
penses, and statehood was pressed upon us from that 
quarter. There was another potent influence at work 
at home. We had several prominent gentlemen who 
were convinced that their services were needed in the 
senate of the United States, and that their presence there 
would strengthen and adorn that body, and as no posi- 
tive opposition was developed, the congress of the 
United States, on the 26th of February, 1857, passed an 
act, authorizing the territory to form a state govern- 
ment. It prescribed the same boundaries for the state 
as we now have, although there had been a large num- 
ber of people who had advocated an east and west divi- 
ion of the territory, on a line a little north of the forty- 
fifth parallel of north latitude. It provided for a con- 
vention to frame the constitution of the new state, which 
was to be composed of two delegates for each member 



110 History of Minnesota. 

of the territorial legislature, to be elected in the repre- 
sentative districts on the first Monday in June, 1857. 
The convention was to be held at the capital of the ter- 
ritory, on the second Monday of July following. It sub- 
mitted to the convention five propositions to be ans- 
wered, which, if accepted, were to become obligatory on 
the United States and the State of Minnesota. They 
were in substance as follows : 

1. Whether sections 16 and 36 in each township 
should be granted to the state for the use of schools. 

2. Whether seventy-two sections of land should be 
set aside for the use and support of a state university. 

3. Whether ten sections should be granted to the 
state in aid of public buildings. 

4., Whether all salt springs in the state, not exceed- 
ing twelve, with six sections of land to each, should be 
granted to the state. 

5. Whether five per centum of the net proceeds of 
the sales of all the public lands lying within the state, 
which should be sold after its admission, should be paid 
to the state for the purpose of roads, and internal im- 
provements. 

All the five propositions, if accepted, were to be on 
the condition, to be expressed in the constitution or an 
irrevocable ordinance, that the state should never inter- 
fere with the primary disposal of the soil within the state 
by the United States, or with any regulations congress 
should make for securing title to said lands in bona fide 
purchases thereof, and that no tax should be imposed on 
lands belonging to the United States, and that non-resi- 
dent proprietors should never be taxed higher than resi- 
dents. < 

These propositions were all accepted, ratified and 
confirmed by section 3 of Article II. of the constitution. 



History of Minnesota. Ill 

The election for delegates took place as provided for. 
and on the day set for the convention to meet, nearly all 
of them had assembled at the capital. Great anxiety 
was manifested by both the Democrats and the Repub- 
licans to capture the organization of the convention. 
Neither party had a majority of all the members pres- 
ent, but there were a number of contested seats on both 
sides, of which both contestant and contestee were pres- 
ent, and these duplicates being counted, were sufficient 
to give each party an apparent majority. It was obvious 
that a determined fight for the organization was immi- 
nent. The convention was to meet in the house of rep- 
resentatives, and to gain an advantage, the Republicans 
took possession of the hall the night before the opening 
day, so as to be the first on hand in the morning. The 
Democrats, on learning of this move, held a caucus to 
decide upon a plan of action. Precedents and authori- 
ties were looked up, and two fundamental points deci- 
ded upon. It was discovered that the secretary of the 
territory was the proper party to call the convention to 
order, and as Mr. Charles L. Chase was the secretary, and 
also a Democratic delegate, he was chosen to make the 
call. It was further found that when no hour was desig- 
nated for the meeting of a parliamentary body, that noon 
of the day appointed was the time. Being armed 
with these points, the Democrats decided to wait until 
noon, and then march into the hall in a body with Dele- 
gate Chase at their head, and as soon as he reached the 
chair he was to spring into it and call the convention to 
order. General Gorman was immediately to move an 
adjournment until the next day at 12 o'clock M,, which 
motion was to be put by the chair, the Democrats feel- 
ing sure that the Republicans being taken by surprise 
would vote no, while the Democrats would all vote aye. 



112 History of Minnesota. 

and thus commit more than a majority of the whole to 
the org-anization under Mr. Chase. On reaching the 
chair, Mr. Chase immediately sprang into it, and called 
the convention to order. General Gorman moved the 
adjournment, which was put by the chair. All the Dem- 
ocrats loudly voted in the affirmative and the Republi- 
cans in the negative. The motion was declared carried, 
and the Democrats solemnly marched out of the hall. 

The above is the Democratic version of the event. 
The Republicans, however, claim that John W. North 
reached the chair first, and called the convention to or- 
der, and that as the Republicans had a majority of the 
members present, the organization made under his call 
was the only regular one. Nothing can be determined 
as to which is the true story from the records kept of the 
two bodies, because they are each made up to show 
strict regularity, and as it is utterly immaterial in any 
substantial point of view, I will not venture any opinion, 
although I was one of the actors in the drama, — or farce, 
— as the reader may see fit to regard it. 

The Republicans remained in the hall, and formed a 
constitution to suit themselves, sitting until August 29th, 
just forty-seven days. The Democrats on the next day 
after their adjournment, at 12 o'clock M., went in a body 
to the door of the house of representatives, where they 
were met by Secretary and Delegate Chase, who said to 
them : "Gentlemen, the hall to which the delegates ad- 
journed yesterday is now occupied by a meeting of citi- 
zens of the territory, who refuse to give possession to 
the constitutional convention." 

General Gorman then said : "I move the convention 
adjourn to the council chamber." The motion was car- 
ried, and the delegates accordingly repaired to the coun- 
cil chamber, in the west wing of the capitol, where Mr. 



History op Minnesota. 113 

Chase called the convention to order. Each branch of 
the convention elected its officers. The Republicans 
chose St. A. D. Balcombe for their president, and the 
Democrats selected Hon. Henry H. Sibley. Both bod- 
ies worked diligently on a constitution, and each suc- 
ceeded in making one so much like the other that, after 
sober reflection, it was decided that the state could be 
admitted under either, and if both were sent to congress 
that body would reject them for irregularity. So to- 
wards the end of the long session a compromise was ar- 
rived at, by the formation of a joint committee from each 
convention, who were to evolve a constitution out of 
the two for submission to the people ; the result of which, 
after many sessions, and some fisticuffs, was the instru- 
ment under which the state was finally admitted. 

A very curious complication resulted from two pro- 
visions in the constitution. In section 5 of the schedule 
it was provided that "All territorial officers, civil and 
military, now holding their offices under the authority 
of the United States or of the Territory of Minnesota 
shall continue to hold and exercise their respective of- 
fices until they shall be superseded by the authority of 
the state," and section 6 provided that "The first session 
of the legislature of the State of Minnesota shall com- 
mence on the first Wednesday of December next," etc. 

These provisions were made under the supposition 
that the state would be admitted as soon as the consti- 
tution would be laid before congress, which it was pre- 
sumed would be long before the date fixed for the hold- 
ing of the first state legislature ; but such did not turn 
out to be the case. The election was held as provided 
for on the thirteenth day of October, 1857, for the adop- 
tion or rejection of the constitution, and for the election 

of all the state officers, members of congress and of the 

s 



114 History of Minnesota. 

legislature. The constitution was adopted by a vote of 
36,240 for, and 700 against, and the whole Democratic 
state ticket was also chosen ; and to be sure not to lose 
full representation in congress, three members of the 
house of representatives were also chosen, who were all 
Democrats. 

The constitution was duly presented to congress, 
and admission for the state demanded. Much to the dis- 
appointment of our people, all kinds and characters of 
objections were raised to our admission ; one of which 
I remember was, that as the term of office of the state 
senators was fixed at two years, and as there was noth- 
ing said about the term of the members of the house 
they were elected for life, and consequently the govern- 
ment created was not republican. Alexander Stevens 
of Georgia seriously combatted this position, in a learned 
constitutional argument, in which he proved that a state 
had absolute control of the subject, and could fix the 
term of all its officers for life if it so preferred, and that 
congress had no right to interfere. Many other equally 
frivolous points were made against our admission, which 
were debated until the eleventh day of May, 1858. when 
the federal doors were opened and Minnesota became a 
state. The act admitting the state cut down the con- 
gressional representation to two. The three gentlemen 
who had been elected to these positions were compelled 
to determine who would remain and who should surren- 
der. History has not recorded how the decision was 
made, whether by cuttings cards, tossing a coin, or in 
some other way, but the result was that George L. 
Becker was counted out, and W. W. Phelps and James 
M, Cavanaugh took the prizes. 

It was always thought at home that the long delay 
in our admission was not from any disinclination to let 



History of Minnesota. 115 

US in, but because the house was quite evenly divided 
pohtically between the Democrats and the Republicans, 
and there being- a contested seat from Ohio, between 
Mr. Valandingham and Mr. Lew Campbell, it was feared 
by the Republicans that, if Minnesota came in with three 
Democratic members, it might turn the scale in favor of 
Valandingham. 

This delay created a very perplexing condition of 
things. The state legislature elected under the consti- 
tution met on the first Wednesday of December, before 
the constitution was recognized by congress, and while 
the territorial government was in full force. It passed a 
book full of laws, all of which were state laws, approved 
by a territorial governor. Perhaps in some countries 
it would have been difficult to harmonize such irregulari- 
ties, but our courts were quite up to the emergency, and 
straig-htened them all out the first time the question was 
raised, and the laws so passed have served their purpose 
up to the present time. 

The first governor of the state was Henry H. Sibley, 
a Democrat. He served his term of two years, and the 
state has never elected a Democrat to that office since, 
unless the choice of Hon. John Lind, in 1898, may be so 
classified. 

ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE CAPITAX.. 

At the eighth session of the legislative assembly of 
the territory, which convened on Jan. 7, 1857, a bill was 
introduced, the purpose of which was the removal of the 
seat of government from St. Paul to St. Peter, a small 
viUage which had recently come into existence on the 
Minnesota river about one hundred miles above its 
mouth. There could be no reason for such action ex- 
cept interested speculation, as the capitol was already 



116 History of Minnesota. 

built in St, Paul, and it was much more accessible, and 
in every way more convenient than it would be at St. 
Peter; but the movement had sufficient personal and 
political force behind it to insure its success, and an act 
was passed making such removal. But it was destined 
to meet with unexpected obstacles before it became a 
law. When it passed the house it was sent to the coun- 
cil, where it only received one majority, eight voting for 
and seven against it. It was, on the 27th of February, 
sent to the enrolling committee for final enrollment. It 
happened that Councillor Joseph Rolette, from Pembina, 
was chairman of this committee, and a great friend of 
St. Paul. Mr. Rolette decided he would veto the bill 
in a way not known to parliamentary law, so he put it 
in his pocket and disappeared. On the 28th, not being 
in his seat, and the bill being missing, a councillor of- 
fered a resolution that a copy of it be obtained from Mr. 
Wales, the second in order on the committee. A call 
of the council was then ordered and Mr. Rolette not be- 
ing in his seat, the sergeant-at-arms was sent out to 
bring him in, but not being able to find him, he so re- 
ported. A motion was then made to dispense with the 
call, but by the rules it required a two-third vote of fif- 
teen members, and in the absence of Mr. Rolette only 
fourteen were present. It takes as many to make two- 
thirds of fourteen as it does to make two-thirds of fifteen, 
and "the bill had only nine friends. During the pendency 
of a call no business could be transacted, and a serious 
dilemma confronted the capital removers ; but, nothing 
daunted, Mr. Balcombe made a long argument to prove 
that nine was two-thirds of fourteen. Mr. Brisbin, who 
was president of the council and a graduate of Yale, pro- 
nounced the motion lost, saying to the mover, who was 
also a graduate of Yale, "Mr. Balcombe, we never fig- 



History of ]\Iinnesota. 117 

ured that way at Yale." This situation produced a dead- 
lock, and no business could be transacted. The session 
terminated on the fifth day of March by its own limita- 
tion. The sergeant-at-arms made daily reports con- 
cerning the whereabouts of the absentee, sometimes lo- 
cating him on a dog-train, rapidly moving towards Pem- 
bina, sometimes giving a rumor of his assassination, but 
never producing him. Matters remained in this condi- 
tion until the end of the term, and the bill was lost. 

It was disclosed afterwards that Rolette had carefully 
deposited the bill in the vault of Truman M. Smith's 
bank, and had passed the time in the upper story of the 
Fuller House, where his friends made him very com- 
fortable. Some ineffectual efforts have been made since 
to remove the capital to Minneapolis and elsewhere, but 
the treaty, made by the pioneers in 1849, locating it at 
St. Paul, is still in force. 

CENSUS. 

One of the provisions of the enabling act was that 
in the event of the constitutional convention deciding in 
favor of the immediate admission of the proposed state 
into the Union, a census should be taken with a view of 
ascertaining the number of representatives in congress 
to which the state would be entitled. This was accord- 
ingly done in September, 1857, and the population was 
found to be 150,037. 

GRASSHOPPERS. 

The first visitation of grasshoppers came in 1857, 
and did considerable damage to the crops in Stearns 
and other counties. Relief was asked from St. Paul for 
the suffering poor, and notwithstanding the people of 
the capital city were in the depths of poverty, from the 



118 History of Minnesota. 

financial panic produced by over-speculation, they re- 
sponded liberally. The grasshoppers of this year did 
not deposit their eggs, but disappeared after eating up 
everything that came within their reach. The state was 
not troubled with them again until the year 1873, when 
they came in large flights, and settled down in the west- 
ern part of the state. They did much damage to the 
crops, and deposited their eggs in the soil, where they 
hatched out in the spring, and greatly increased their 
number. They made sad havoc with the crops of 1874, 
and occupied a larger part of the state than in the pre- 
vious year. They again deposited their eggs, and ap- 
peared in the spring of 1875 in increased numbers. This 
was continued in 1876, when the situation became so 
alarming that Gov. John S. Pillsbury issued a proclama- 
tion, addressed to the states and territories which had 
suffered most from the insects, to meet him by dele- 
gates at Omaha, to concert measures for united protec- 
tion. A convention was held, and Governor Pillsbury 
was made its president. The subject was thoroughly 
discussed, and a memorial to congress was prepared and 
adopted, asking for scientific investigation of the sub- 
ject, and a suggestion of preventive measures. 

Many appeals for relief came from the afflicted reg- 
ions, and much aid was extended. Governor Pillsbury 
was a big-hearted, sympathetic man, and fearing the suf- 
ferers might not be well cared for, he travelled among 
them personally, incognito, and dispensed large sums 
from his private funds. 

In 1877 the governor, in his message to the legisla- 
ture, treated the subject exhaustively, and appropria- 
tions were made to relieve the settlers in the devastated 
regions. In the early spring of 1877, the religious bod- 
ies and people of the state asked the governor to issue a 



History of Minnesota. 119 

proclamation appointing a day of fasting and prayer, 
asking Divine protection, and exhorting the people to 
greater humility and a new consecration in the service 
of a merciful Father. The governor, being of Puritan 
origin, and a faithful believer in Divine agencies in this 
world's afifairs, issued an eloquent appeal to the people 
to observe a day named as one of fasting and prayer for 
deliverance from the grasshoppers. The suggestion was 
quite generally approved, but the proclamation natu- 
rally excited much criticism and some ridicule, but, curi- 
ous as it may seem, the grasshoppers, even before the 
day appointed for prayer arrived, began to disappear, 
and in a short time not one remained to show they had 
ever been in the state. They left in a body; no one 
seemed to know exactly when they went, and no one 
knew anything about where they went, as they were 
never heard of again on any part of the continent. The 
only news we ever had from them came from ships cross- 
ing the Atlantic westward bound, which reported hav- 
ing passed through large areas of floating insects. They 
must have met a western gale when well up in air, and 
have been blown out into the sea and destroyed. The 
people of Minnesota did not expend much trouble or 
time to find out what had become of them. 

The crop of 1877 was abundant, and particularly so 
in the region which had been most seriously blighted by 
the pests. 

Before the final proclarnation of Governor Pillsbury 
every source of ingenuity had been exhausted in de- 
vising plans for the destruction of the grasshoppers. 
Ditches were dug around the fields of grain, and ropes 
drawn over the grain to drive the hoppers into them, 
with the purpose of covering them with earth. Instru- 
ments called "hopperdozers" were invented, which had 



120 History of Minnesota. 

receptacles filled with hot tar, and were driven over the 
ground to catch them as flies are caught with tanglefoot 
paper, and many millions of them were destroyed in this 
way, but it was about as effectual as fighting a North- 
western blizzard with a lady's fan, and they were all 
abandoned as useless and powerless to cope with the 
scourge. Nothing proved effectual but the governor's 
proclamation, and all the old settlers called it "Pills- 
bury's Best," which was the name of the celebrated 
brand of flour made at the governor's mills. 

Prof. N. H. Winchell, the state geologist, in his geo- 
logical and natural history report, presents a map which, 
by red lines, shows the encroachments of the grasshop- 
pers for the years 1873-76. To gain an idea of the ex- 
tent of the country covered by them up to 1877, draw a 
line on a state map from the Red River of the North 
about six miles north of Moorhead, in Clay county, in a 
southeasterly direction, through Becker, Wadena, Todd 
and Morrison counties, crossing the Mississippi river 
near the northern line of Benton county, continuing 
down the east side of the Mississippi, through Benton, 
Sherburne and Anoka counties, there recrossing the Mis- 
sissippi, and proceeding south, on the west side of the 
river, to the south line of the state in Mower county. All 
the country lying south and west of this line was lor sev- 
eral years devastated by the grasshoppers to the extent 
that no crops could be raised. It became for a time a 
question whether the people or the insects would con- 
quer the state. 

MILITIA. 

During the territorial times there were a few volun- 
teer militia companies in St. Paul, conspicuously the 
"Pioneer Guard," an infantry company, which, from its 



History of Minnesota. 121 

excellent organization and discipline, became a source 
of supply of officers when regiments were being raised 
for the Civil War. To have been a member of that 
company was worth at least a captain's commission in 
the volunteer army, and many officers of much higher 
rank were chosen from its members. 

There was also a company of cavalry at St. Paul, 
commanded by Capt. James Starkey, called the "St. Paul 
Light Cavalry" ; also, the "Shields Guards," commanded 
by Capt. John O'Gorman. There may have been oth- 
ers, but I do not remember them. The services of the 
pioneer guards and the cavalry company were called into 
requisition on two occasions, once in 1857 and again in 
1859. During the summer of 1857 the settlers near 
Cambridge and Sunrise complained that the Chippewas 
were very troublesome. Governor Medary ordered 
Captain Starkey to take part of his company and arrest 
the Indians who were committing depredations, and 
send the remainder of them to their reservation. The 
captain took twenty men, and, on Aug. 24, 1857, started 
for the scene of the trouble. On the 28th he overtook 
some six or seven Indians, and in their attempt to escape 
a collision occurred, in which a young man, a member 
of Starkey's company, named Frank Donnelly, was in- 
stantly killed. The troops succeeded in killing one of 
the Indians, wounding another, and capturing four more, 
when they returned to St. Paul, bringing with them the 
dead, wounded, and prisoners. The dead were buried, 
the wounded healed, and the prisoners discharged by 
Judge Nelson on a writ of habeas corpus. 

The general sentiment of the community was that 
the expedition was unnecessary, and should never have 
been made. This affair was facetiously called the "Corn- 
stalk War." 



122 History op Minnesota. 

the wright county war. 

In the fall of 1858 a man named Wallace was killed 
in Wrig-ht county. Oscar F. Jackson was tried for the 
murder in the spring of 1859, and acquitted by a jury. 
Public sentiment was against him, and he was warned 
to leave the county. He did not heed the admonition, 
and on April 25th a mob assembled, and hung Jackson 
to the gable end of Wallace's cabin. Governor Sibley 
offered a reward for the conviction of any of the lynch- 
ers. Shortly afterwards one, Emery Moore, was arrest- 
ed as being implicated in the afifair. He was taken to 
Wright county for trial, and at once rescued by a mob. 
The governor sent three companies of the militia to 
Monticello to arrest the offenders and preserve order, 
the Pioneer Guards being among them. This force, 
aided by a few special officers of the law, arrested eleven 
of the lynchers and rescuers, and turned them over to 
the civil authorities, and on the nth of August, 1859, 
having completed their mission, returned to St. Paul. 
As there was no war or bloodshed of any kind connected 
with this expedition, it was called the "Wright County 
War." 

Gov. Sibley, having somewhat of a military tend- 
ency, appointed as his adjutant general, Alexander C. 
Jones, who was a graduate of the Virginia Military 
Academy, and captain of the Pioneer Guards. Under 
this administration a very complete militia bill was 
passed, on the twelfth day of August, 1858. Minnesota 
from that time on had a very efficient militia system, un- 
til the establishment of the national guard, which made 
some changes in its general character, supposed to be 
for the better. 



History of Minnesota. 123 

the civil war. 

Nothing of any special importance occurred during 
the years 1859 and i860 in Minnesota. The state con- 
tinued to grow in population and wealth at an extra- 
ordinary pace, but in a quiet and unobtrusive way. The 
politics of the nation had been for some time much dis- 
turbed between the North and the South, on the ques- 
tion of slavery, and threats of secession from the Union 
made by the slave-holding states. The election of 
Abraham Lincoln to the presidency of the United States, 
in i860, precipitated the impending revolution, and on 
the fourteenth day of April, 1861, Fort Sumter, in the 
harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, was fired upon by 
the revolutionists, which meant war between the two 
sections of the country. I will only relate such events 
in connection with the Civil War which followed as are 
especially connected with Minnesota. 

When the news of the firing upon Fort Sumter reached 
Washington, Alexander Ramsey, then governor of Min- 
nesota, was in that city. He immediately called on the 
president of the United States, and tendered the services 
of the people of Minnesota in defense of the republic, 
thus giving to the state the enviable position of being the 
first to come to the front. The ofifer of a regiment was 
accepted, and the governor sent a dispatch to Lieut. 
Gov. Ignatius Donnelly, who, on the i6th of April, is- 
sued a proclamation, giving notice that volunteers would 
be received at St. Paul for one regiment of infantry com- 
posed of ten companies, each of sixty-four privates, one 
captain, two lieutenants, four sergeants, four corporals 
and one bugler, and that the volunteer companies al- 
ready organized, upon complying with these require- 
ments as to the numbers and officers, would be entitled 
to be first received. 



124 History of Minnesota. 

Immediately following this announcement, which, of 
course, meant war, great enthusiasm was manifested all 
over the state. Public meetings were held in all the 
cities; almost every man capable of doing soldier duty 
wanted to go, and those who were unable, for any rea- 
son, to go in person, subscribed funds for the support 
of the families of those who volunteered. The only dif- 
ficulty the authorities met with was an excess of men 
over those needed. There were a good many Southern- 
ers residing in the state, who were naturally controlled 
in their sentiments by their geographical affinities, but 
they behaved very well, and caused no trouble. They 
either entered the service of the South or held theirpeace. 
I can recall but one instance of a Northern man who had 
breathed the free air of Minnesota going over to the 
South, and the atrocity of his case was aggravated by 
the fact that he was an officer in the United States army. 
I speak of Major Pemberton, who at the breaking out 
of the war was stationed at Fort Ridgely in this state, 
in command of a battery of artillery. He was ordered 
to Washington to aid in the defense of the capital, but 
before reaching his destination resigned his commission, 
and tendered his sword to the enemy. I think he was 
a citizen of Pennsylvania. It was he who surrendered 
Vicksburg to the United States army on July 4, 1863. 

The first company raised under the call of the state 
was made up of young men of St. Paul, and commanded 
by William H. Acker, who had been adjutant general 
of the state. He was wounded at the first battle of Bull 
Run, and killed at the battle of Shiloh, as captain of a 
company of the Sixteenth Regular Infantry. Other 
companies quickly followed in tendering their services. 

On the last Monday in April a camp for the First Reg- 
iment was opened at Fort Snelling, and Capt. Anderson 



History of Minnesota. 125 

D. Nelson of the United States army mustered the regi- 
ment into the service. On the 27th of April John B. 
Sanborn, then adjutant general of the state, in behalf of 
the governor, issued the follow^ing order : 

"The commander-in-chief expresses his gratification 
at the prompt response to the call of the president of the 
United States upon the militia of Minnesota, and his 
regret that, under the present requisition for only ten 
companies, it is not possible to accept the services of all 
the companies offered." 

, The order then enumerates the ten companies which 
had been accepted, and instructs them to report at Fort 
Snelling, and recommends that the companies not ac- 
cepted maintain their organization and perfect their drill, 
and that patriotic citizens throughout the state continue 
to enroll hemselves, and be ready for any emergency. 

The governor, on May 3d, sent a telegram to the 
president, offering a second regiment. 

The magnitude of the rebellion becoming rapidly 
manifest at Washington, the secretary of v^^ar, Mr. Cam- 
eron, on the 7th of May, sent the following telegram to 
Governor Ramsey: 

"It is decidedly preferable that all the regiments 
from your state not already actually sent forward should 
be mustered into the service for three years, or during 
the war. If any persons belonging to the regiments al- 
ready mustered for three months, but not yet actually 
sent forward, should be unwilling to serve for three 
years, or during the war, could not their places be filled 
by others willing to serve?" 

A great deal of correspondence passed between Lieu- 
tenant Governor Donnelly at St. Paul and Governor 
Ramsey at Washington over the matter, which resulted 
in the First Minnesota Regiment being mustered into 



126 History of Minnesota. 

the service of the United States for three years, or dur- 
ing- the war, on the eleventh day of May, 1861. WilHs 
A. Gorman, second governor of the territory, was ap- 
pointed colonel of the First. The colonel was a veteran 
of the Mexican War. The regiment when first mus- 
tered in was without uniform, except that some of the 
companies had red shirts and some blue, but there was 
no regularity whatever. This was of small consequence, 
as the material of the regiment was probably the best 
ever collected into one body. It included companies of 
lumbermen, accustomed to camp life, and inured to 
hardships; men of splendid physique, experts with the 
axe; men who could make a road through a forest or 
swamp, build a bridge over a stream, run a steamboat, 
repair a railroad, or perform any of the duties that are 
thrust upon an army on the march and in the field. 
There are no men in the world so well equipped natu- 
rally and without special preparation for the life of a 
soldier as the American of the West. He is perfectly 
familiar with the use of firearms. From his varied ex- 
perience, he possesses more than an average intelligence. 
His courage goes without saying, and, to sum him up, 
he is the most all-around handy man on earth. 

On May 25th the ladies of St. Paul presented the 
regiment with a handsome set of silk colors. The pre- 
sentation was made at the state capitol by Mrs. Ramsey, 
the wife of the governor. The speech was made on be- 
half of the ladies by Captain Stansbury of the United 
States army, and responded to by Colonel Gorman in a 
manner fitting the occasion. 

On the 2 1st of June the regiment, having been or- 
dered to Washington, embarked on the steamers. North- 
ern Belle and War Eagle, at Fort Snelling, for their jour- 
ney. Before leaving the fort the chaplain, Rev. Edward 



History of Minnesota. 127 

D. Neill, delivered a most impressive address, conclud- 
ing as follotws : 

"Soldiers: If you would be obedient to God, you 
must honor him who has been ordained to lead you forth. 
Your colonel's will must be your will. If, like the 
Roman centurion, he says 'Go,' you must go. If he 
says 'Come,' come you must. God grant you all the 
Hebrew's enduring faith, and you will be sure to have 
the Hebrew's valor. Now, with the Hebrew's benedic- 
tion, I close : 'The Lord bless you and keep you. The 
Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to 
you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and 
given you peace.' Amen." 

The peace thegood chaplain asked the Lord to give to 
the regiment was that peace which flows from duty well 
performed and a conscience free from self-censure. 
Judging from the excellent record made by that regi- 
ment, it enjoyed this kind of peace to the fullest extent, 
but it had as little of the other kind of peace as any regi- 
ment in the service. 

The regiment reached Washington early in July, and 
went into camp near Alexandria, in Virginia. It took 
part in the first battle of the war, at Bull Run, and from 
there to the end of the war was engaged in many battles, 
always with credit to itself and honor to its state. It 
was conspicuously brave and useful at the great conflict 
at Gettysburg, and the service it there performed made 
its fame world-wide. In what I say of the first regiment, 
I must not be understood to lessen the fame of the other 
ten regiments and other organizations that Minnesota 
sent to the war, all of which, with the exception of the 
Third, made for themselves records of gallantry and sol- 
dierly conduct, which Minnesota will ever hold in the 
highest esteem. But the First, probably because it was 



128 History of Minnesota. 

the first, and certainly because of its superb career, will 
always be the pet and especial pride of the state. 

The misfortunes of the Third regiment will be spoken 
of separately. 

The first conception of the rebellion by the authori- 
ties in Washington was that it could be suppressed in a 
short time; but they had left out of the estimate the 
fact that they had to deal with Americans, who can al- 
ways be counted on for a stubborn fight when they de- 
cide to have one. And as the magnitude of the war im- 
pressed itself upon the government, continuous calls for 
troops were made, to all of which Minnesota responded 
promptly, until she had in the field the following military 
organizations: Eleven full regiments of infantry; the 
first and second companies of sharpshooters ; one regi- 
ment of mounted rangers, recruited for the Indian war; 
the Second Regiment of cavalry ; Hatche's Independent 
Battalion of Cavalry for Indian war; Brackett's bat- 
talion of cavalry ; one regiment of heavy artillery ; and 
the First, Second and Third Batteries of Light Artillery. 

There were embraced in these twenty-one military 
organizations, 22,970 officers and men, who were with- 
drawn from the forces of civil industry, and remained 
away for several years. Yet notwithstanding this ab- 
normal drain on the industrial resources of so young a 
state, to which must be added the exhaustive effects of 
the Indian war which broke out within her borders in 
1862, and lasted several years, Minnesota continued to 
grow in population and wealth throughout it all, and 
came out of these war afflictions strengthened and invig- 
orated. 

THE THIRD REGIMENT. 

Recruiting for the Third Regiment commenced early 
in the fall of 1861, and was completed by the 15th of No- 



History of Minnesota. 129 

vember, on which day it consisted of 901 men all told, 
including- officers. On the 17th of November, 1861, it 
embarked at Fort Snelling for its destination in the 
South, on the steamboats Northern Belle, City Belle, 
and Frank Steele. It landed at St. Paul and marched 
through the city, exciting the admiration of the people, 
it being an unusually fine aggregation of men. It em- 
barked on the same day, and departed for the South, car- 
rying with it the good wishes and hopes of every citizen 
of the state. It was then commanded by Lieutenant 
Colonel Smith, and afterwards by Col. Henry C. Lester, 
who was promoted to its command from a captaincy in 
the First, and joined his regiment at Shepardsville. Col- 
onel Lester was a man of prepossessing appearance, 
handsome, well informed, modest and attractive. He 
soon brought his regiment up to a high standard of drill 
and discipline, and especially devoted himself to its ap- 
pearance for cleanliness and deportment, so that his regi- 
ment became remarkable in these particulars. By the 
twelfth day of July, the Third became brigaded with the 
Ninth Michigan, the Eighth and Twenty-third Ken- 
tucky, forming the Twenty-third Brigade, under Col. W. 
W. Duffield of the Ninth Michigan, and was stationed 
at Murfeesboro, in Tennessee. For two months Col- 
onel Duffield had been absent, and the brigade and other 
forces at Murfreesboro had been commanded by Colonel 
Lester. A day or two before the 13th Colonel Duffield 
had returned and resumed command of the brigade, and 
Lester was again in direct command of his regiment. In 
describing the situation at Murfreesboro on the thir- 
teenth day of July, 1861, Gen. C. C. Andrews, the author 
of the "History of the Third Regiment," in the state 
war book, at page 152, says : 

"The force of enlisted men fit for duty at Murfrees- 
9 



130 History of Minnesota. 

boro was fully one thousand. Forest reported that the 
whole number of enlisted men captured, taken to Mc- 
Minnville and paroled was between i,ioo and 1,200. 
Our forces, however, were separated. There were five 
companies, 250 strong", of the Ninth Michigan in camp 
three-fourths of a mile east of the town, on the Liberty 
turnpike (another company of the Ninth Michigan, for- 
ty-two strong, occupied the court-house as a provost 
guard). Near the camp of the Ninth Michigan were 
eighty men of the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, under 
Major Seibert ; also, eighty-one men of the Fourth Ken- 
tucky Cavalry, under Captain Chilson. More than a 
mile distant, on the other side of the town, on undulat- 
ing, rocky and shaded ground, near Stone river, were 
nine companies of the Third Minnesota, five hundred 
strong. Near it, also, were two sections (four guns) of 
Hewitt's Kentucky Field Artillery, with sixty-four men 
for duty. Forty-five men of Company C, Third Regi- 
ment, under Lieutenant Grummons, had gone the after- 
noon of July 1 2th, as the guard on a supply train, to 
Shelbyville, and had not returned the thirteenth." 

Murfreesboro was on the Nashville & Chattanooga 
railroad. It was a well built town, around a square, in 
the center of which was the court-house. There were in 
the town valuable military stores. 

On July 13th, at daybreak, news arrived at Murfrees- 
boro that the rebel general, Forest, was about to make 
an attack on the place, which news was verified by Gen- 
eral Forest capturing the picket guard and dashing into 
the town soon after the news arrived, with a mounted 
force of 1,500 men. A part of this force charged upon 
the camp of the Seventh Pennsylvania, then reformed, 
and charged upon the Ninth Michigan Infantry, which 
made a gallant defense and repulsed the enemy's re- 



History of Minnesota. 131 

peated charges, suffering- a loss of eleven killed and 
eighty-nine wounded. The enemy suffered considerable 
loss, including a colonel killed, up to about noon, when 
the Ninth Michigan surrendered. General Crittenden 
was captured in his quarters, about eight o'clock. Al- 
most simultaneous with the first attack, a part of For- 
est's force moved toward the Third Minnesota, which 
had sprung up at the first sound of the firing, formed 
into line, Colonel Lester in command, and with two 
guns of Hewitt's Battery on each flank, marched in the 
direction of Murfreesboro. It had not gone more than 
an eighth of a mile when about three hundred of the 
enemy appeared approaching on a gallop. They were 
moving in some disorder, and appeared to fall back when 
the Third Regiment came in sight. The latter was at 
once brought forward into line and the guns of Hewitt's 
Battery opened fire. The enemy retired out of sight, 
and the Third advanced to a commanding position in 
the edge of some timber. A continuous fire was kept 
up by the guns of Hewitt's Battery, with considerable 
effect upon the enemy. Up to this time the only 
ground of discontent that had ever existed in this regi- 
ment was that it had never had an opportunity to fight. 
Probably no regiment was ever more eager to fight in 
battle than this one. Yet while it was there in line of 
battle from daylight until about noon, impatiently wait- 
ing for the approach of the enemy, or what was better, 
to be led against him, he was assailing an inferior force 
of our troops, and destroying valuable commissary and 
quartermasters stores in town, which our troops were, 
of course, in honor bound to protect. The regiment 
was kept standing or lying motionless hour after hour, 
even while plainly seeing the smoke rising from the 
burning depot of the United States supplies. While this 



132 History of Minnesota. 

was going on, Colonel Lester sat upon his horse, and 
different officers went to him and entreated him to march 
the regiment into town. The only response he gave 
was, "We will see." The enemy made several ineffect- 
ual attempts to charge the line held by the Third, but 
were driven off with loss, which only increased the ardor 
of the men to get at them. The enemy attacked the 
camp of the Third, which was guarded by only a few 
convalescents, teamsters and cooks, and met with a stub- 
born resistence, but finally succeeded in taking it, and 
burning the tents and property of the officers, after 
which they hastily abandoned it. The firing at the camp 
was distinctly heard by the Third Regiment, and Captain 
Hoyt of Company B asked permission to take his com- 
pany to protect the camp, but was refused. While the 
regiment was in this waiting position, having at least 
five hundred effective men, plenty of ammunition, and 
burning with anxiety to get at the enemy, a white flag 
appeared over the crest of a hill which proved to be a 
request for Colonel Lester to go into Murfreesboro for a 
consultation with Colonel Duffield. General Forest 
carefully displayed his men along the path by which 
Colonel Lester was to go in a manner so as to impress 
the colonel with the idea that he had a much larger force 
than really existed, and in his demand for surrender he 
stated that, if not acceded to, the whole command would 
be put to the sword, as he could not control his men. 
This was an old trick of Forest's, which he played suc- 
cessfully on other occasions. From what is known, he 
had not over one thousand men with which he could 
have engaged the Third that day. 

When Colonel Lester returned to his regiment his 
mind was fully made up to surrender. A consultation 
was held with the officers of the regiment, and a vote 



History of Minnesota. 133 

taken on the question, which resulted in a majority be- 
ing- in favor of fighting and against surrender, but the 
matter was reopened and reargued by the colonel, and 
after some of the officers who opposed surrender had 
left the council and gone to their companies, another vote 
was taken, which resulted in favor of the surrender. The 
ofificers who, on this final vote, were against surrender, 
were Lieutenant Colonel Griggs and Captains Andrews 
and Hoyt. Those who voted in favor of surrender were 
Captains Webster, Gurnee, Preston, Clay and Mills of 
the Third Regiment, and Captain Hewitt of the Ken- 
tucky Battery. 

On December ist an order was made, dismissing 
from the service the five captains of the Third who voted 
to surrender the regiment, which order was subsequently 
revoked as to Captain Webster. 

The conduct of Colonel Lester on this occasion has 
been accounted for on various theories. Before this he 
had been immensely popular with his regiment, and also 
at home in Minnesota, and his prospects were most bril- 
liant. It is hard to believe that he was actuated by cow- 
ardice, and harder to conceive him guilty of disloyalty 
to his country. An explanation of his actions which 
obtained circulation in Minnesota was, that he had fallen 
in love with a rebel woman, who exercised such influ- 
ence and control over him as to completely hypnotize 
his will. I have always been a convert to that theory, 
knowing the man as well as I did, and have settled the 
question as the French would, by saying "Cherchez la 
femme." 

General Buell characterized the surrender in general 
orders as one of the most disgraceful examples in the 
history of war. 

What a magnificent opportunity was presented to 



134 History of Minnesota. 

some officer of that regiment to immortalize himself by 
shooting the colonel through the head while he was ig- 
nominously dallying with the question of surrender, and 
calling upon the men to follow him against the enemy. 
There can be very little doubt that such a movement 
would have resulted in victory, as the men were in splen- 
did condition physically, thoroughly well armed, and 
dying to wipe out the disgrace their colonel had inflicted 
upon them. Of course, the man who should inaugu- 
rate such a movement must win, or die in the attempt, 
but in America death with honor is infinitely preferable 
to life with a suspicion of cowardice, as all who partici- 
pated in this surrender were well aware. 

The officers w-ere all held as prisoners of war, and 
the men paroled on condition of not fighting against the 
Confederacy during the continuance of the war. The 
Indian war of 1862 broke out in Minnesota very shortly 
after the surrender, and the men of the Third were 
brought to the state for service against the Indians. 
They participated in the campaign of 1862 and following 
expeditions. For a full and detailed account of the sur- 
render of the Third, consult the history of that regiment 
in the volume issued by the state, called "Minnesota in 
the Civil and Indian Wars." 

It would please the historian to omit this subject en- 
tirely, did truth permit ; but he finds ample solace in the 
fact that this is the only blot to be found in the long- 
record of brilliant and glorious deeds that compose the 
military history of Minnesota. 

A general summary will show that Minnesota did 
her whole duty in the Civil War, and that her extreme 
youth was in no way a drawback to her performance. 
She furnished to the war, in all her military organiza- 
tions, a grand total of 22,970 men. Of this number, 607 



History of Minnesota. 135 

were killed in battle and 1,647 died of disease, making a 
contribution of 2,254 lives to the cause of the Union on 
the part of Minnesota. 

Our state was honored by the promotion from her 
various organizations of the following officers : 

C. P. Adams, Brevet Brigadier General. 

C. C. Andrews, Brigadier and Brevet Major General. 

John T. Averill, Brevet Brigadier General. 

James H. Baker, Brevet Brigadier General. 

Theodore E. Barret, Brevet .■©rigadier General. 

Judson W. Bishop, Brevet Brigadier General. 

William Colville, Brevet Brigadier General. 

Napoleon J. T. Dana, Majbi* General. 

Alonzo J. Edgerton, Brevet Brigadier General. 

Willis A. Gorman, Brigadier General. 

Lucius F. Hubbard, Brevet Brigadier General. 

Samuel P. Jennison, Brevet Brigadier General. 

William G. Le Due, Brevet Brigadier General. 

William R. Marshall, Brevet Brigadier General. 

Robert B. McLaren, Brevet Brigadier General. 

Stephen Miller, Brigadier General. 

John B. Sanborn, Brigadier and Brevet Major Gen- 
eral. 

Henry H. Sibley, Brigadier and Brevet Major Gen- 
eral. 

Minor T. Thomas, Brevet Brigadier General. 

John E. Tourtellotte, Brevet Brigadier General. -■ 

Horatio P. Van Cleve, Brevet Brigadier General. 

George N. Morgan, Brevet Brigadier General. 

THE INDIAN WAR OF 1862 AND FOLLOWING YEARS. 

In 1862 there were in the State of Minnesota four 
principal bands of Sioux Indians — the M'day-wa-kon- 
tons, Wak-pa-koo-tas, Si-si-tons and Wak-pay-tons. The 



136 History op Minnesota. 

first two bands were known as the Lower Sioux and 
the last two bands as the Upper Sioux. These designa- 
tions arose from the fact that, in the sale of their lands 
to the United States by the treaties of 1851. the lands 
of the Lower Sioux were situate in the southern part 
of the state, and those of the upper bands in the more 
northern part, and when a reservation was set apart for 
their future occupation on the upper waters of the Min- 
nesota river they were similarly located thereon. Their 
reservation consisted of a strip of land, ten miles wide, 
on each side of the Minnesota river, beginning at a point 
a few miles below Fort Ridgely and extending to the 
headwaters of the river. The reservation of the lower 
bands extended up to the Yellow Medicine river; that 
of the upper bands included all above the last named 
river. An agent was appointed to administer the affairs 
of these Indians, whose agencies were established at 
Redwood for the lower and at Yellow Medicine for the 
upper bands. At these agencies the annuities were 
paid to the Indians, and so continued from the mak- 
ing of the treaties to the year 1862. These l^ands 
were wild, very little progress having been made in their 
civilization, the very nature of the situation preventing 
very much advance in that line. The whole country to 
the north and west of their reservation was an open, 
wild region, extending to the Rocky Mountains, inhab- 
ited only by the buffalo, which animals ranged in vast 
herds from British Columbia to Texas. The buffalo 
was the chief subsistence of the Indians, who naturally 
frequented their ranges, and only came to the agencies 
when expecting their payments. When they did come, 
and the money and goods were not ready for them, 
which was frequently the case, they suffered great in- 
convenience, and were forced to incur debt with the 



History of Minnesota. 137 

white traders for their subsistence, all of which tended to 
create bad feelings between them and the whites. The 
Indian saw that he had yielded a splendid domain to the 
whites, and that they were rapidly occupying- it. They 
could not help seeing that the whites were pushing them 
gradually — I may say rapidly — out of their ancestral 
possessions and towards the West, which knowledge 
naturally created a hostile feeling towards them. The 
Sioux were a brave people, and the young fighting men 
were always makmg comparisons between themselves 
and the whites, and bantering each other as to whether 
they were or were not afraid of them. I made a study 
of these people for several years, having had them in 
charge as their agent, and I think understood their feel- 
ings and standing towards the whites as well as any one. 
Much has been said and written about the immediate 
cause of the outbreak of 1862, but I do not believe that 
anything can be assigned out of the general course of 
events that will account for the trouble. Delay, as usual, 
had occurred in the arrival of the money for the pay- 
ment, which was due in July, 1862. The war was in full 
force with the South, and the Indians saw that Minne- 
sota was sending thousands of men out of the state to 
fight the battles of the Union, ^ Major Thomas Gal- 
braith was their agent in the summer of 1862, and being 
desirous of contributing to the volunteer forces of the 
government, he raised a company of half-breeds on the 
reservation and started with them for Fort Snelling, the 
general rendezvous, to have them mustered into service. 
It was very natural that the Indians who were seeking 
for trouble should look upon this movement as a sign of 
weakness on the part of the government, and reason 
that, if the United States could not conquer its enemy 
without their assistance, it must be in serious difficulties. 



138 History of Minnesota. 

Various things of similar character contributed to create 
a feeling among the Indians that it was a good time to 
recover their country, redress all their grievances, and 
reestablish themselves as lords of the land. They had 
ambitious leaders. Little Crow was the principal insti- 
gator of war on the whites. He was a man of greater 
parts than any Indian in the tribe. I had used him on 
many trying occasions, as the captain of my bodyguard, 
and my ambassador to negotiate with other tribes, and 
always found him equal to any emergency; but on this 
occasion his ambition ran away with his judgment, and 
led him to fatal results. With all these influences at 
work, it took but a spark to fire the magazine, and that 
spark was struck on the seventeenth day of August, 
1862. 

A small party of Indians were at Acton, on August 
17th, and got into a petty controversy about some eggs 
with a settler, which created a difiference of opinion 
among them as to what they should do, some advocating 
one course and some another. The controversy led to 
one Indian saying that the other was afraid of the white 
man, to resent which, and to prove his bravery, he killed 
the settler, and the whole family was massacred. When 
these Indians reached the agency, and related their 
bloody work, those who wanted trouble seized upon the 
opportunity, and insisted that the only way out of the 
difficulty was to kill all the whites, and on the morning 
of the 1 8th of August the bloody work began. 

It is proper to say here that some of the Indians who 
were connected with the missionaries, conspicuously 
An-pay-tu-tok-a-cha, or John Otherday, and Paul Ma- 
za-ku-ta-ma-ni, the president of the Hazelwood Repub- 
lic, of which I have spoken, having learned of the inten- 
tion of the Indians, informed the missionaries on the 



History of Minnesota. 139 

night of the 17th, who, to the number of about sixty, 
fled eastward to Hutchinson, in McLeod county, and 
escaped. The next morning, being the i8th of August, 
the Indians commenced the massacre of the whites, and 
made clean work of all at the agencies. They then sep- 
arated into small squads of from five to ten and spread 
over the country to the south, east and southeast, at- 
tacking the settlers in detail at their homes and contin- 
ued this work during all of the i8th and part of the 19th 
of August, until they had murdered in cold blood quite 
one thousand people — men, women and children. The 
way the work was conducted, was as follows : The party 
of Indians would call at the house, and, being well 
known, would cause no alarm. They would await a 
good opportunity, and shoot the man of the family; 
then butcher the women and children, and, after carry- 
ing off everything that they thought valuable to them, 
they would burn the house and proceed to the next 
homestead and repeat the performance. Occasionally 
some one would escape, and spread the news of the 
massacre to the neighbors, and all who could would es- 
cape to some place of refuge. 

The news of the outbreak reached Fort Ridgely 
(which was situated about thirteen miles down the Min- 
nesota river) from the agencies about eight o'clock on 
the morning of the i8th, by means of the arrival of a 
team from the Lower Agency, bringing a badly wounded 
man ; but no details could be obtained. The fort was 
in command of Capt. John Marsh, of Company "B," 
Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. He had eighty- 
five men in his company, from which he selected forty- 
five, leaving the balance, under Lieut. T. F. Gere, to 
defend the fort. This little squad, under command of 
Captain Marsh, with a full supply of ammunition, pro- 



140 History of Minnesota. 

visions, blankets, etc., accompanied by a six-mule team, 
left the fort at 9:00 a. m., on the i8th of August, for 
the Lower Sioux Agency, which was on the west side of 
the Minnesota river, the fort being on the east, which 
necessitated the crossing of the river by a ferry near the 
agency. On the march up the command passed nine 
or ten dead bodies, all bearing evidence of having been 
murdered by the Indians, one of which was Dr. Hum- 
phrey, surgeon at the agency. On reaching the vicinity 
of the ferry no Indians were in sight, except one on the 
opposite side of the river, who tried to induce them to 
cross over. A dense chaparral bordered the river on 
the agency side, and tall grass covered the bottom on 
the side where the troops were. Suspicion of the pres- 
ence of Indians was aroused by the disturbed condition 
of the water of the river, which was muddy and con- 
tained floating grass. Then a group of ponies was seen. 
At this point, and without any notice whatever, Indians 
in great numbers sprang up on all sides of the troops, 
and opened upon them a deadly fire. About half of the 
men were killed instantly. Finding themselves sur- 
rounded, it became with the survivors a question of 
saiiz'e qui pent. Several desperate hand-to-hand encoun- 
ters occurred, with varying results, when the remnant 
of the command made a point down the river, about 
two miles from the ferry, Captain Marsh being of the 
number. Here they attempted to cross, but the captain 
was drowned in the effort. Only from thirteen to fif- 
teen of the command reached the fort alive. Among 
those killed was Peter Quinn, the United States interpre- 
ter, an Irishman, who had been in the Indian territory 
for many years. He had married into the Chippewa 
tribe. He was a man much esteemed by the army and 
all old settlers. . ' 



History of Minnesota. 141 

Much criticism has been indulged in as to whether 
Captain Marsh, when he became convinced of the gen- 
eral outbreak, should not have retreated to the fort. Of 
course, forty-five men could do nothing against five or 
six hundred warriors, who were known to be at or about 
the agency. The Duke of Wellington, when asked as 
to what was the best test of a general, said, "To know 
when to retreat, and to dare to do it." Captain Marsh 
cannot be justly judged by any such criterion. He was 
not an experienced general. He was a young, brave, 
and enthusiastic soldier. He knew little of Indians. 
The country knows that he thought he was doing his 
duty in advancing. I am confident, whether this judg- 
ment is intelligent or not, posterity will hold in warmer 
esteem the memory of Captain Marsh and his gallant lit- 
tle band than if he had adonted the more prudent course 
of retracing his steps. Gen. George Custer was led into 
an ambush of almost the exact character, which was pre- 
pared for himi by many of the same Indians who at- 
tacked Marsh, and he lost five companies of the Seventh 
United States Cavalry, one of the best lighting regi- 
ments in the service, not a man escaping. 

Immediately previous to the outbreak Lieut. Timothy 
J. Sheehan, of Company "C," Fifth Minnesota, had been 
sent, with about fifty men of his company, to the Yellow 
Medicine Agency, on account of some disorder prevail- 
ing;- among the Indians ; but having performed his duty, 
he had been ordered to Fort Ripley, and had on the 17th 
left Fort Ridgley, and on the i8th had reached a point 
near Glencoe, distant from Fort Ridgley about forty 
miles. As soon as Captain Marsh became aware of the 
outbreak, he sent the following dispatch to Lieutenant 
Sheehan, which reached him on the evening- of the i8th: 
"Lieutenant Sheehan: 



142 History of Minnesota. 

"It is absolutely necessary that you should return 
with your command immediately to this post. The In- 
dians are raising hell at the Lower Agency. Return as 
soon as possible." 

Lieutenant Sheehan was then a young Irishman, of 
about the age of twenty-five years, with immense physi- 
cal vigor, and corresponding enthusiasm. He imme- 
diately broke camp and returned to the fort, arriving 
there on the 19th of August, having made a forced march 
of forty-two miles in nine and one-half hours. He did 
not arrive a moment too soon. Being the ranking oi^cer 
after the death of Captain Marsh, he took command of 
the post. The garrison then consisted of the remnant of 
Marsh's Company "B," fifty-one men, Sheehan's Com- 
pany "C," fifty men, and the Renville Rangers, fifty men. 
This latter company was the one raised by Major Gal- 
braith, the Sioux agent at the agencies, and was com- 
posed principally of half-breeds. It was commanded by 
Capt. James Gorman. On reaching St. Peter, on its 
way down to Snelling to be mustered into the serv ice of 
the United States, it learned of the outbreak, and at 
once returned to Ridgley, having appropriated the arms 
of a militia company at St. Peter. There was also at 
Ridglev, Sergeant Jones of the regular artillery, who had 
been left there in charge of the military stores. He was 
quite an expert gunner, and there were several field- 
pieces at the fort. Besides this garrison, a large num- 
ber of people from the surrounding country had sought 
safety at the fort, and there was also a party of gentle- 
men, who had brought up the annuity money to pay 
the Indians, who, learning of the troubles, had stopped 
with the money, amounting to some $70,000 in specie. 
I will here leave the fort for the present, and turn to 
other points that became prominent in the approaching 
war. 



History of Minnesota. 143 

On the night of the i8th of August, the day of the 
outbreak, the news reached St. Peter, and, as I have be- 
fore stated, induced the Renville Rangers to retrace 
their steps. Great excitement prevailed, as no one could 
tell at what moment the Indians might dash into the 
town, and massacre the inhabitants. 

The people at New Ulm, which was situated about 
sixteen miles below Fort Ridgely, on the Minnesota 
river, dispatched a courier to St. Peter as soon as they 
became aware of the trouble. He arrived at 4 o'clock 
a. m. on the 19th, and came immediately to my house, 
which was about one mile below the town, and informed 
me that the Indians were killing people all over the 
country.. Having lived among the Indians for several 
years, and at one time had charge of them as their agent, 
I thoroughly understood the danger of the situation, and 
knowing that, whether the story was true or false, the 
frontier was no place at such a time for women and chil- 
dren, I told him to wake up the people at St. Peter, and 
that I would be there quickly. I immediately placed my 
family in a wagon, and told them to flee down the river, 
and taking all the guns, powder and lead I could find in 
my house, I arrived at St. Peter about 6 a. m. The men 
of the town were soon assembled at the court-house, and 
in a very short time a company was formed of 1 16 men, of 
which I was chosen as captain, William B. Dodd as first, 
and Wolf H. Meyer as second lieutenant. Before noon 
two men, Henry A. Swift, afterwards governor of the 
state, and William C. Hayden, were dispatched to the 
front in a buggy to scout, and locate the enemy if he 
was near, and about noon sixteen mounted men under 
L. M. Boardman, sheriff of the county, were started on a 
similar errand. Both these squads kept moving until 
they reached New Ulm, at about 5 p. m. 



144 History of Minnesota. 

Great activity was displayed in equipping the main 
body of the company for service. All the guns of the 
place were seized, and put into the hands of the men. 
There not being any large game in this part of the coun- 
try, rifles were scarce, but shot-guns were abundant. All 
the blacksmith shops and gun shops were set at work 
moulding bullets, and we soon had a gun in every man's 
hand, and he was supplied with a powder horn or a 
whiskey flask full of powder, a box of caps and a pocket- 
full of bullets. We impressed all the wagons we needed 
for transportation, and all the blankets and provisions 
that were necessary for subsistence and comfort. While 
these preparations were going on a large squad from Le 
Sueur, ten miles further down the river, under the com- 
mand of Captain Tousley, sheriff of Le Sueur county, 
joined us. Early in the day a squad from S^van lake, 
under an old settler named Samuel Coffin, had gone to 
New Ulm to see what was the matter. 

Our advance guard reached New Ulm just in time to 
participate in its defense against an attack of about one 
hundred Indians who had been murdering the settlers 
on the west side of the river, between the town and Fort 
Ridgely. The inhabitants of New Ulm were almost ex- 
clusively German, there being only a few English-speak- 
ing citizens among them, and they were not familiar with 
the character of the Indians, but the instinct of self-pres- 
ervation had impelled them to fortify the town with bar- 
ricades to keep the enemy out. The town was built in 
the usual way of western towns, the principal settlement 
being along the main street, and the largest and best 
houses occupying a space of about three blocks. Some 
of these houses were of brick and stone, so with a strong 
barricade around them, the town was quite defensible. 
Several of the people were killed in this first attack, but 



History of Minnesota. 145 

the Indians, knowing of the coming reinforcements, 
withdrew, after firing five or six buildings. 

The main body of my company, together with the 
squad from Le Sueur, reached the ferry about two miles 
below the settled part of New Ulm, about 8 p. m., 
having made thirty-two miles in seven hours, in a 
drenching rainstorm. The blazing houses in the distance 
gave a very threatening aspect to the situation, but we 
crossed the ferry successfully, and made the town with- 
out accident. The next day we were reinforced by a 
full company from Mankato under Capt. William Bier- 
bauer. Several companies were formed from the citizens 
of the town. A full company from South Bend arrived 
on the 20th or 21st, and various other squads, greater 
or less in numbers, came in during the week, before Sat- 
urday, the 23d, swelling our forces to about three hun- 
dred men, but nearly all very poorly armed. We im- 
proved the barricades and sent out daily scouting parties 
who succeeded in bringing in many people who were in 
hiding in swamps, and who would have undoubtedly 
been lost without this succor. It soon became apparent 
that, to maintain any discipline or order in the town, 
some one man must be placed in command of the entire 
force. The ofificers of the various companies assembled 
to choose a commander-in-chief, and the selection fell 
to me. A provost guard was at once established, order 
inaugurated, and we awaited events. 

I have been thus particular in my description of the 
movements at this point because it gives an idea of the 
defenseless condition in which the outbreak found the 
people of the country, and also because it shows the in- 
tense energy with which the settlers met the emergency, 
at its very inception, from which I will deduce the con- 
clusion at the proper time that this prompt initial action 
10 



146 History of Minnesota. 

saved the state from a calamity, the magnitude of which 
is unrecorded in the history of Indian wars. 

Having described the defensive condition of Fort 
Ridgely and New Ulm, the two extreme frontier posts, 
the former being on the Indian reservation and the latter 
only a few miles southeast of it, I will take up the sub- 
ject at the capital of the state. The news reached Gov- 
ernor Ramsey, at St. Paul, on the 19th of August, the 
second day of the outbreak. He at once hastened to 
Mendota, at the mouth of the Minnesota river, and re- 
quested ex-Governor Sibley to accept the command of 
such forces as could be put in the field, to check the ad- 
vance of and punish the Indians. Governor Sibley had 
a large experience with the Sioux, perhaps more than 
any man in the state, having traded and lived with them 
since 1834, and besides that, was a distinguished citizen 
of the state, having been its first governor. He accepted 
the position, with the rank of colonel in the state militia. 
The Sixth Regiment was being recruited at Fort Snell- 
ing for the Civil ^^'ar, and, on the 20th of August, Col- 
onel Sibley started up the valley of the Minnesota with 
four companies of that regiment, and arrived at St. 
Peter on Friday, the 22d. Capt. A. D. Nelson of the 
regular army had been appointed colonel of the Sixth, 
and William Crooks had been appointed lieutenant col- 
onel of the Seventh. Colonel Crooks conveyed the or- 
ders of the governor to Colonel Nelson, overtaking him 
at Bloomington Ferry. On receipt of his orders, find- 
ing he was to report to Colonel Sibley, he made the point 
of military etiquette, that an officer of the regular army 
could not report to an officer of militia of the same rank, 
and turning over his command to Colonel Crooks, he re- 
turned to St. Paul and handed in his resignation. It 
was accepted, and Colonel Crooks was appointed colonel 



History of Minnesota. 147 

of the Sixth. Not knowing much about miHtary eti- 
quette, I will not venture an opinion on the action of 
Colonel Nelson in this instance, but it always seemed to 
me that, in the face of the enemy, and especially con- 
sidering- the high standing of Colonel Sibley, and the 
intimate friendship that existed between the two men, it 
would have been better to have waived this point, and 
unitedly fought the enemy, settling all such matters 
afterwards. 

On Sunday, the 24th, Colonel Sibley's force at St. 
Peter, was augmented by the arrival of about two hun- 
dred mounted men, under the command of William J 
Cullen, formerly superintendent of Indian affairs, called 
the Cullen Guard. On the same day six more companies 
of the Sixth arrived, making up the full regiment, and 
also about one hundred more mounted men, and sev- 
eral squads of volunteer militia. The mounted men were 
placed under the command of Col. Samuel McPhail. By 
these acquisitions Colonel Sibley's command numbered 
about 1,400 men. Although the numerical strength was 
considerable, the command was practically useless. The 
ammunition did not fit the guns of the Sixth Regiment, 
and had to be all made over. The horses of the mount- 
ed men, were raw and undisciplined, and the men 
themselves were inexperienced and practically un- 
armed. It was the best the country afforded, but was 
probably about as poorly equipped an army as ever en- 
tered the field — and to face what I regard as the best 
warriors to be found on the North American continent ; 
but fortunately the officers and men were all that could 
be desired. The leaders of this army were the best of 
men, and being seconded by intelligent and enthusiastic 
subordinates, they soon overcame their physical diffi- 
culties ; but they knew nothing of the strength, position 



148 History of Minnesota. 

or nrevious movements of the enemy, no news having 
reached them from either Fort Ridgely or New Ulm, 
Any mistake made by this force, resulting in defeat, 
would have been fatal. No such mistake was made. 
Having now shown the principal forces in the field, we 
will turn to the movements of the enemy. The Indians 
felt that it would be necessary to carry Fort Ridgely and 
New Ulm, before they extended their depredations fur- 
ther down the valley of the Minnesota, and concentrated 
their forces for an attack on the fort. Ridgely was in no 
sense a fort. It was simply a collection of buildings, 
principally frame structures, facing in towards the par- 
ade ground. On one side was a long stone barrack and a 
stone commissary building, which was the only defensi- 
ble part of it. 

THE ATTACK ON FORT RIDGELY. 

On the 20th of August, at about 3 p. m., an attack 
was made upon the fort by a large body of Indians. The 
first intimation the garrison had of the assault was a vol- 
ley poured through one of the openings between the 
buildings. Considerable confusion ensued, but order 
was soon restored. Sergeant Jones attempted to use his 
cannon, but to his utter dismay, he found them disabled. 
This was the work of some of the half-breeds belonging 
to the Renville Rangers, who had deserted to the enemy. 
They had been spiked by raming old rags into them. 
The sergeant soon rectified this difficulty, and brought 
his pieces into action. The attack lasted three hours, 
when it ceased, with a loss to the garrison of three killed 
and eight wounded. 

On Thursday, the 21st, two further attacks were 
made on the fort, one in the morning and one in the 
afternoon, but with a reduced force, less earnestness, and 



History of Minnesota. I49 

little damage. On Friday, the 22d, the savages seemed 
determined to carry the fort. About eight hundred or 
more, under the leadership of Little Crow, came down 
from the agency. Concentrating themselves in the ra- 
vines which lay on several sides of the fort, they made 
a feint, by sending about twenty warriors out on the 
prairie for the purpose of drawing out the garrison from 
the fort, and cutting them off. Such a movement, if 
successful, would have been fatal to the defenders ; but 
fortunately there were men among them of much expe- 
rience in Indian warfare, who saw through the scheme, 
and prevented the success of the maneuver. Then fol- 
lowed a shower of bullets on the fort from all directions. 
The attack was continued for nearly five hours. It was 
bitterly fought, and courageously and intelligently re- 
sisted. Sergeant Jones and other artillerists handled the 
guns with effective skill, exploding shells in the outlying 
buildings, and burning them over the heads of the In- 
dians, while the enemy endeavored to burn the wooden 
buildings composing the fort, by shooting fire arrows on 
their roofs. ^ One of the most exposed and dangerous 
duties to be performed was covering the vv^ooden roofs 
with earth to prevent fire. One white man was killed 
and seven wounded in this engagement. Lieutenant 
Sheehan, who commanded the post through all these 
trying occurrences. Lieutenant Gorman, of the Renville 
Rangers, Lieutenant Whipple, and Sergeants Jones and 
McGrew, all did their duty in a manner becoming vet- 
erans, and the men seconded their efforts handsomely. 
The Indians, after this effort, being convinced that they 
could not take the fort, and anticipating the coming of 
reinforcements, withdrew, and, concentrating all their 
available forces, descended upon New Ulm the next 
morning, August 23d, for a final struggle. In the offi- 



150 History of Minnesota. 

cial history (written for the state) of this battle at Fort 
Ridgely, I place the force of the Indians as 450, but have 
learned since from reliable sources that it was as above 
stated. 

BATTLE OP NEW ULM. 

We left New Ulm, after the arrival of the various 
companies which I have named on the 21st of August, 
strengthening its barricades and awaiting events. I had 
placed a good glass on the top of one of the stone build- 
ings within the barricades for the purpose of observa- 
tion, and always kept a sentinel there to report any 
movement he should discover in any direction through- 
out the surrounding country. We had heard distinctly 
the cannonading at the fort for the past two days, but 
knew nothing of the result of the fight at that point. I 
was perfectly familiar, as were many of my command, 
with the country between New Ulm and the fort, on 
both sides of the river, knowing the house of every set- 
tler on the roads. 

Saturday, the 23d of August, opened bright and 
beautiful, and early in the morning we saw column after 
column of smoke rise in the direction of the fort, each 
smoke being nearer than the last. We knew to a cer- 
tainty that the Indians were approaching in force, burn- 
ing every building and grain or hay stack they passed. 
The settlers had either all been killed, or had taken re- 
fuge at the fort or New Ulm, so we had no anxiety about 
them. About 9:30 a. m. the enemy appeared in great 
force, on both sides of the river. Those on the east side, 
when they reached the neighborhood of the ferry, 
burned some stacks as a signal of their arrival, which 
was responded to by a similar fire in the edge of the tim- 
ber, about two miles and a half from the town on the west 



History of Minnesota. 151 

side. Between this timber and the town, was a beauti- 
ful open prairie, with considerable descent towards the 
town. Immediately on seeing the smoke from the ferry 
the enemy advanced rapidly, some six hundred strong, 
many mounted and the rest on foot. I had determined 
to meet them on the open prairie, and had formed my 
men by companies in a long line of battle, with intervals 
between them, on the first level plateau on the west side 
of the town, thus covering its whole west front. There 
were not over twenty or thirty rifles in the whole com- 
mand, and a man with a shot9un, knowing his antago- 
nist carries a rifle, has very little confidence in his fight- 
ing ability. Down came the Indians in the bright sun- 
light, galloping, running, yelling, and gesticulating in 
the most fiendish manner. If we had had good rifles 
they never would have got near enough to do much 
harm, but as it was we could not check them before their 
fire began to tell on our line. They deployed to the 
right and left until they covered our entire front, and 
then charged. My men, appreciating the inferiority of 
their armament, after seeing several of their comrades fall, 
and having fired a few ineffectual volleys, fell back on the 
town, passing some buildings without taking possession 
of them, which mistake was instantly taken advantage of 
by the Indians, who at once occupied them, but they did 
not follow us into the town proper, no doubt thinking 
our retreat was a feint to draw them among the build- 
ings, and thus gain an advantage. I think if they had 
boldly charged into the town and set it on fire, they 
would have won the fight ; but, instead, they surrounded 
it on all sides, the main body taking possession of the 
lower end of the main street below the barricades, from 
which direction a strong wind was blowing towards the 
center of the town. From this point they began firing 



152 History of Minnesota. 

the houses on both sides of the street. We soon rallied 
the men, and kept the enemy well in the outskirts of the 
town, and the fighting became general on all sides. Just 
about this time, my first lieutenant, William B. Dodd, 
galloped down the main street, and as he passed a cross 
street the Indians put three or four bullets through him. 
He died during the afternoon, after having been re- 
moved several times from house to house as the enemy 
crowded in upon us. 

On the second plateau, there was an old Don Quix- 
ote windmill, with an immense tower and sail-arms about 
seventy-five feet long, which occupied a commanding 
position, and had been taken possession of by a company 
of about thirty men, who called themselves the Le Sueur 
Tigers, most of whom had rifles. They barricaded them- 
selves with sacks of flour and wheat, loopholed the build- 
ing and kept the savages at a respectful distance from the 
west side of the town. A riiie ball will bury itself in a 
sack of flour or wheat, but will not penetrate it. During 
the battle the men dug out several of them, and brought 
them to me because they were the regulation Minie bul- 
let, and there had been rumors that the Confederates 
from Missouri had stirred up the revolt and supplied the 
Indians with guns and ammunition. I confess I was 
astonished when I saw the bullets, as I knew the Indians 
had no such arms, but I soon decided that they were 
using against us the guns and ammunition they had 
taken from the dead soldiers of Captain Marsh's com- 
pany. I do not believe the Confederates had any hand 
in the revolt of these Indians. 

We held several other outposts, being brick build- 
ings outside the barricades, which Ave loopholed, and 
found very effective in holding the Indians aloof. The 
battle raged generally all around the town, every man 



History o? Minnesota. 153 

doing his best in his own way. It was a very interesting 
fight on account of the stake we were contending for. 
We had in the place about twelve or fifteen hundred 
women and children, the lives of all of whom, and of 
ourselves, depended upon victory perching on our ban- 
ners ; for in a fight like this, no quarter is ever asked or 
given. The desperation with which the conflict was con- 
ducted can be judged from the fact that I lost sixty men 
in the first hour and a half, ten killed and fifty wounded, 
out of less than 250, as my force had been depleted by 
the number of about seventy-five by Lieutenant Huey 
taking that number to guard the approach to the ievry. 
Crossing to the other side of the river he was cut off, 
and forced to retreat toward St. Peter. It was simply a 
mistake of judgment to put the river between himself 
and the main force, but in his retreat he met Capt. E. St. 
Julian Cox, with reinforcements for New Ulm, joined 
them, and returned the next day. He was a brave and 
willing officer. The company I mentioned as having 
arrived from South Bend, having heard that the Winne- 
bagoes had joined in the outbreak, left us before the final 
attack on Saturday, the 23d of August, claiming that 
their presence at home was necessary to protect their 
families, and on the morning of the 23d, when the enemy 
was in sight, a wagon load of others left us and went 
down the river. I doubt if we could have mustered over 
two hundred guns at any time during the fight. 

The enemy, seeing his advantage in firing the build- 
ings in the lower part of the main street, and thus grad- 
ually nearing our barricades with the intention of burn- 
ing us out, kept up his work as continuously as he could 
with the interruptions we made for him by occasionally 
driving him out; but his approach was constant, and 
about 2 o'clock a roaring conflagration was raging on 



154 History of Minnesota. 

both sides of the street, and the prospect looked dis- 
couraging. At this juncture Asa White, an old frontiers- 
man, connected with the Winnebagoes, whom I had 
known for a long time, and whose judgment and expe- 
rience I appreciated and valued, came to me and said: 
"Judge, if this goes on, the Indians will bag us in about 
two hours." I said: "It looks that way ; what remedy 
have you to suggest." His answer was, "We must make 
for the Cottonwood timber." Two miles and a half lay 
between us and the timber referred to, which, of course, 
rendered his suggestion utterly impracticable with two 
thousand non-combatants to move, and I said : "White, 
they would slaughter us like sheep should we undertake 
such a movement. Our strongest hold is in this town, 
and if you will get together fifty volunteers, I will drive 
the Indians out of the lower town and the greatest dan- 
ger will be passed." He saw at once the propriety of 
my proposition, and in a short time we had a squad 
ready, and sallied out, cheering and yelling in a manner 
that would have done credit to the wildest Comanches. 
We knew the Indians were congregated in force down 
the street, and expected to find them in a sunken road, 
about three blocks from where we started, but they had 
worked their way up much nearer to us, and were in a 
deep swale about a block and a half from our barricades. 
There was a large number of them, estimated at about 
seventy-five to one hundred, some on ponies and some 
on foot. When the conformation of the ground dis- 
closed their whereabouts, we were within one hundred 
feet of them. They opened a rapid fire on us, which we 
returned, while keeping up our rushing advance. Wlien 
we were within fifty feet of them, they turned and fled 
down the street. We followed them for at least half a 
mile, firing as well as we could. This took us beyond 



History of Minnesota. 155 

the burning- houses, and finding a large collection of 
saw logs, I called a halt and we took cover among them, 
lying flat on the ground. The Indians stopped when we 
ceased to chase them, and took cover behind anything 
that afforded protection, and kept up an incessant fire 
upon us whenever a head or hand showed itself above 
the logs. We held them, however, in this position, and 
prevented their return toward the town by way of the 
street. I at once sent a party back with instructions to 
burn every building, fence, stack or other object that 
would afford cover between us and the barricades. This 
order was strictly carried out, and by six or seven o'clock 
there was not a structure standing outside of the barri- 
cades in that part of the town. We then abandoned our 
saw logs and returned to the town, and the day was won, 
the Indians not daring to charge us over an open coun- 
try. I lost four men killed in this exploit, one of whom 
was especially to be regretted. I speak of Newell 
Houghton. In ordinary warfare, all men stand for the 
same value as a general thing ; but in an Indian fight, a 
man of cool head, an exceptionally fine shot, and armed 
with a reliable rifle, is a loss doubly to be regretted. 
Houghton was famous as being the best shot and deer 
hunter in all the Northwest, and had with him his choice 
rifle. He had built a small steamboat with the proceeds 
of his gun, and we all held him in high respect as a fine 
type of frontiersman. We had hardly got back to the 
town before a man brought me a rifle which he had 
found on the ground near a clump of brush, and handing 
it to me said, "Some Indian lost a good gun in that run." 
It happened that White was with me, and saw the gun. 
He recognized it in an instant, and said: "Newell 
Houghton is dead. He never let that gun out of his 
hands while he could hold it." We looked where the 



156 History op Minnesota. 

gun was picked up, and found Houghton dead in the 
brush. He had been scalped by some Indian who had 
seen him fall, and had sneaked back and scalped him. 

That night we dug a system of rifle pits all along tlie 
barricades on the outside, and manned them with three 
or four men each, but the firing was desultory through 
the night, and nothing much was accomplished on either 
side. 

The next morning (Sunday) opened bright and beau- 
tiful, but scarcely an Indian was to be seen. They had 
given up the contest, and were rapidly retreating north- 
ward up the river. We got an occasional shot at one, 
but without effect except to hasten the retreat. And so 
ended the second and decisive battle of New Ulm. 

In this fight between ourselves and the enemy we 
burned one hundred and ninety buildings, many of them 
substantial and valuable structures. The whites lost 
some fourteen killed and fifty or sixty wounded. The 
loss of the enemy is uncertain, but after the fight we 
found ten dead Indians in burned houses, and in chapar- 
ral where they escaped the notice of their friends. As 
to their wounded we knew nothing, but judging from 
the length and character of the engagement, and the 
number of their dead found, their casualties must have 
equalled, if not exceeded ours. 

About noon of Sunday, the 24th, Capt. E. St. JuHen 
Cox arrived with a company from St. Peter, which had 
been sent by Colonel Sibley to reinforce us. Lieutenant 
Huey, who had been cut off at the ferry on the previous 
day, accompanied him with a portion of his command. 
They were welcome visitors. 

There were in the town at the time of the attack on 
the 23d, as near as can be learned, from 1,200 to 1.500 
noncombatants, consisting of women and children, refu- 



History of Minnesota. 157 

gees and unarmed citizens, all of whose lives depended 
upon our success. It is difficult to conceive a much 
more exciting stake to play for, and the men seemed 
fully to appreciate it, and made no mistakes. 

On the 25th we found that provisions and ammuni- 
tion were becoming scarce, and pestilence being feared 
from stench and exposure, we decided to evacuate the 
town and try to reach Mankato. This destination was 
chosen to avoid the Minnesota river, the crossing of 
which we deemed impracticable. The only obstacle be- 
tween us and Mankato was the Big Cottonwood river, 
which was fordable. We made up a train of 153 wagons, 
which had largely composed our barricades, loaded them 
with women and children, and about eighty wounded 
men, and started. A more heart-rending procession was 
never witnessed in America. Here was the population 
of one of the most flourishing towns in the state aban- 
doning their homes and property, starting on a journey 
of thirty odd miles, through a hostile country, with a 
possibility of being massacred on the way, and no hope 
or prospect but the hospitality of strangers and ultimate 
beggary. The disposition of the guard was confided 
to Captain Cox. The march was successful; no In- 
dians were encountered. We reached Crisp's farm, 
which was about half way between New Ulm and Man- 
kato, about evening. I pushed the main column on, 
fearing danger from various sources, but camped at this 
point with about 150 men, intending to return to New 
Ulm, or hold this point as a defensive measure for the 
exposed settlements further down the river. On the 
morning of the 26th we broke camp, and I endeavored 
to make the command return to New Ulm or remain 
where they were — my object, of course, being to keep 
an armed force between the enemy and the settlements. 



158 History of Minnesota. 

The men had not heard a word from their famihes for 
more than a week, and declined to return or remain. I 
did not blame them. They had demonstrated their will- 
ingness to fight when necessary, but held the protection 
of their families as paramount to mere military possibil- 
ities. I would not do justice to history did I not record, 
that, when I called for volunteers to return. Captain Cox 
and his whole squad stepped to the front, ready to go 
where I commanded. Although I had not then heard 
of Captain Marsh's disaster, I declined to allow so small 
a command as that of Captain Cox to attempt the reoc- 
cupation of New Ulm. My staff stood by me in this 
effort, and a gentleman from Le Sueur county, Mr. 
Freeman Talbott, made an impressive speech to the 
men, to induce them to return. The train arrived safe- 
ly at Mankato on the 25th, and the balance of the com- 
mand on the followmg day, whence the men generally 
sought their homes. 

I immediately, on arriving at Mankato, went to St. 
Peter, to inform Colonel Sibley of the condition of 
things in the Indian country. I found him, on the night 
of August 26th, in camp about six miles out of St. Peter, 
and put him in possession of everything that had hap- 
pened to the westward. His mounted men arrived at 
Fort Ridgely on the 27th of August, and were the first 
relief that reached that fort after its long siege. Sibley 
reached the fort on the 28th of August. Intrenchments 
were thrown up about the fort, cannon properly placed, 
and a strong guard maintained. All but ninety men of 
the Cullen Guard, under Captain Anderson, returned 
home as soon as they found the fort was safe. The gar- 
rison was soon increased by the arrival of forty-seven 
men under Captain Sterritt, and on the ist of Septem- 
ber, Lieut. Col. William R. Marshall of the Seventh Reg- 



History op Minnesota. 159 

iment arrived, with a portion of his command. This 
force could not make a forward movement on account 
of a lack of ammunition and provisions, which were long 
delayed. 

BATTLE OP BIRCH COULIE. 

On the 31st of August a detail of Captain Grant's 
company of infantry, seventy men of the Cullen Guard, 
under Captain Anderson, and some citizens and other 
soldiers, in all about 150 men, under command of Major 
Joseph R. Brown, with seventeen teams and teamsters, 
were sent from Fort Ridgely to the Lower Agency, to 
feel the enemy, bury the dead, and perform any other 
service that might arise. They went as far as Little Crow's 
village, but not finding any signs of Indians, they re- 
turned; and on the ist of September they reached Birch 
Coulie, and encamped at the head of it. Birch Coulie 
is a ravine extending from the upper plateau to the river 
bottom, nearly opposite the ferry where Captain Marsh's 
company was ambushed. 

' The Indians, after their defeat at Fort Ridgely and 
New Ulm, had concentrated at the Yellow Medicine 
river, and decided to make one more desperate effort to 
carry their point of driving the whites out of the country. 
Their plan of operation was, to come down the Minne- 
sota valley in force, stealthily, passing Sibley's command 
at Ridgely, and attacking St. Peter and Mankato simul- 
taneously. They congregated all their forces for this at- 
tempt, and started down the river. When they reached 
the foot of Birch Coulie they saw the last of Major 
Brown's command going up the coulie. They decided 
to wait and see where they encamped, and attack them 
early in the morning. The whites went to the upper end 
of the Coulie, and camped on the open prairie, about 



160 History op Minnesota. 

250 feet from the brush in the coulie. On the other 
side of their camp there was a roll in the prairie, about 
four or five feet high, which they probably did not no- 
tice. This gave the enemy cover on both sides of the 
camp, and they did not fail to see it and take advantage 
of it. . The moment daylight came sufficiently to dis- 
close the camp, the Indians opened fire from both sides. 
The whites had ninety horses hitched to a picket rope 
and their wagons formed in a circular corral, with their 
camp in the center. The Indians soon killed all the 
horses but one, and the men used their carcasses as 
breastworks, behind which to fight. The battle raged 
from the morning of September 2d to September 3d, 
when they were relieved by Colonel Sibley's whole com- 
mand, and the Indians fled to the west. 

Major Joseph R. Brown was one of the most expe- 
rienced Indian men in the country, and would never 
have made the mistake of locating his camp in a place 
that gave the enemy such an advantage. He did not 
arrive until the camp was selected, and should have re- 
moved it at once. I have always supposed that he was 
hilled into a sense of security by not having seen any 
signs of Indians in his march; but the result proved 
that, when in a hostile Indian country, no one is ever 
justified in omitting any precautions. The firing at Birch 
Coulie was heard at Fort Ridgely, and a reUef was sent, 
under Colonel McPhail, which was checked by the In- 
dians a few miles before it reached its destination. The 
colonel sent a courier to the fort for reinforcements, and 
it fell to Lieutenant Sheehan to carry the message. With 
his usual energy he succeeded in getting through, his 
horse dying under him on his arrival. Colonel Sibley 
at once started with his whole command, and when he 
reached the battle ground the Indians left the field. 



History op Minnesota. 161 

This was one of the most disastrous battles of the 
war. Twenty-three were killed outright or mortally 
wounded, and forty-five were severely wounded, while 
many others received slight injuries. The tents were, by 
the shower of bullets, made to resemble lace work, so 
completely were they perforated. One hundred and 
four bullet holes were counted in one tent. Besides the 
continual shower of bullets that was kept up by the In- 
dians, the men suffered terribly from thirst, as it was im- 
possible to get water into the camp. This fight forms 
a very important feature in the Indian war, as, notwith- 
standing its horrors, it probably prevented awful massa- 
cres at St. Peter and Mankato, the former being abso- 
lutely defenseless, and the latter only protected by a 
small squad of about eighty men, which formed my 
headquarters guard at South Bend, about four miles 
distant. 

OCCURRENCES IN MEEKER COUNTY AND VICINITY. 

While these events were passing, other portions of 
the state were being prepared for defense. In the re- 
gion of Forest City in Meeker county, and also at Hut- 
chinson and Glencoe, the excitement was intense. Capt. 
George C. Whitcomb obtained in St. Paul seventy-five 
stand of arms and some ammunition. He left a part of 
the arms at Hutchinson, and with the rest armed a com- 
pany at Forest City, of fifty-three men, twenty-five of- 
whom were mounted. Capt. Richard Strout, of Com- 
pany "B," Ninth Regiment, was ordered to Forest City, 
and went there with his company. Gen. John H. Stevens 
of Glencoe was commander of the state militia for the 
counties of McLeod, Carver, Sibley and Renville. As 
soon as he learned of the outbreak he erected a very 

substantial fortification of saw-logs at Glencoe, and that 
11 



162 History of Minnesota. 

place was not disturbed by the savages. A company of 
volunteers was formed at Glencoe, under Capt.. A. H. 
Rouse. Company "F" of the Ninth Regiment, imder 
lyieut. O. P. Stearns, and Company "H" of the same 
regiment (Capt. W. R. Baxter), an independent com- 
pany from Excelsior, and the Goodhue County Rangers 
(Capt. David L. Davis), all did duty at and about Glen- 
coe during the continuance of the trouble. Captains 
Whitcomb and Strout, with their companies, made ex- 
tensive reconnoisances into the surrounding counties, 
rescuing many refugees, and having several brisk and 
sharp encounters with the Indians, in which they lost 
several in killed and wounded. The presence of these 
troops in this region of country, and their active opera- 
tions, prevented its depopulation, and saved the towns 
and much valuable property from destruction. 

PROTECTION OF THE SOUTHERN FRONTIER. 

On the 29th of August I received a commission from 
the governor of the state, instructing and directing me 
to take command of the Blue Earth country, extending 
from New Ulm to the north line of Iowa, embracing the 
then western and southwestern frontier of the state. My 
powers were general — to raise troops, commission offi- 
cers, subsist upon the country, and generally to do what 
in my judgment was best for the protection of this fron- 
tier. Under these powers I located my headquarters at 
South Bend, being the extreme southern point of the 
Minnesota river, thirty miles below New Ulm. four from 
Mankato, and about fifty from the Iowa line. Here I 
maintained a guard of about eighty men. We threw up 
some small intrenchments, but nothing worthy of men- 
tion. Enough citizens of New Ulm had returned home 
to form two companies at that point. Company "E," of 



History op Minnesota. 163 

the Ninth Regiment, under Capt. Jerome E. Dane, was 
stationed at Crisp's farm, about half way between New 
Ulm and South Bend. Col. John R. Jones of Chatfield 
collected about three hundred men, and reported to me 
at Garden City. They were organized into companies un- 
der Captains N. P. Colburn and Post, and many of them 
were stationed at Garden City, where they erected a serv- 
iceable fort of saw-logs. Others of this command were 
stationed at points along the Blue Earth river. Capt. 
Cornelius F. Buck of Winona raised a company of fifty- 
three men, all mounted, and started west. They reached 
Winnebago City, in the county of Faribault, on the 7th 
of September, where they reported to me, and were sta- 
tioned at Chain Lakes, about twenty miles west of Win- 
nebago City, and twenty of this company were after- 
wards sent to Madelia. A stockade was erected by this 
company at Martin Lake. In the latter part of August 
Capt. A. J. Edgerton of Company "B," Tenth Regi- 
ment, arrived at South Bend, and having made his re- 
port, was stationed at the Winnebago agency, to keep 
watch on those Indians and cover Mankato from that 
direction. About the same time Company "F," of the 
Eighth Regiment, under Capt. L. Aldrich, reported, and, 
was stationed at New Ulm. E. St. Julien Cox, who had 
previously reinforced me at New Ulm, was commis- 
sioned a captain, and put in command of a force which 
was stationed at Madelia, in Watonwan county, where 
they erected quite an artistic fortification of logs, with 
bastions. While there an attack was made upon some 
citizens who had ventured beyond the safe limits, and 
several whites were killed. fi 

It will be seen by the above statement that almost 
immediately after the evacuation of New Ulm, on the 
25th of August, the most exposed part of the southern 



164 History of Minnesota. 

frontier was occupied by quite a strong force. I did 
not expect that any serious incursions would be made 
along this line, but the state of alarm and panic that pre- 
vailed among the people rendered it necessary to estab- 
lish this cordon of military posts to prevent an exodus of 
the inhabitants. No one who has not gone through the 
ordeal of an Indian insurrection can form any idea of 
the terrible apprehension that takes possession of a de- 
fenseless and noncombatant population under such cir- 
cumstances. There is an element of mystery and un- 
certainty about the magnitude and movements of this 
enemy, and a certainty of his brutality, that inspires ter- 
ror. The first notice of his approach is the crack of his 
rifle, and no one with experience of such struggles ever 
blames the timidity of citizens in exposed positions when 
assailed by these savages. I think, all things being con- 
sidered, the people generally behaved very well. If a 
map of the state is consulted, taking New Ulm as the 
most northern point on the Minnesota river, it will be 
seen that the line of my posts covered the frontier from 
that point down the river to South Bend, and up the 
Blue Earth, southerly, to Winnebago City, and thence 
to the Iowa line. These stations were about sixteen 
miles apart, with two advanced posts, at Madelia and 
Chain Lakes, to the westward. A system of couriers 
was established, starting from each end of the cordon 
every morning, with dispatches from the commanding 
officer to headquarters, stopping at every station for 
an indorsement of what was going on, so I knew every 
day what had happened at every point on my line. By 
this means, the frontier population was pacified, and no 
general exodus took place. 

In September Major General Pope was ordered to 
^\ Minnesota to conduct the Indian war. He made his 



History of Minnesota. 165 

headquarters at St. Paul, and by his high rank took com- 
mand of all operations,' though not exerting any visible 
influence on them, the fact being that all imminent dan- 
ger had been overcome by the state and its citizens be- 
fore his arrival. '" In the latter part of September the citi- 
zen troops under my command were anxious to return 
to their homes, and on presentation of the situation to 
General Pope, he ordered into the state a new regiment 
just mustered into the service in Wisconsin — the Twen- 
ty-fifth — commanded by Col. M. Montgomery, who was 
ordered to relieve me. He appeared at South Bend on 
the 1st of October, and after having fully informed him 
of what had transpired, and given him my views as to 
the future, I turned my command over to him in the fol- 
lowing order: " I give it, as it succinctly presents the 
situation of affairs at the time. 

"HEADQUARTERS INDIAN EXPEDITION 
SOUTHERN FRONTIER, 

SOUTH BEND, October 5, 1862. 

To the Soldiers and Citizens who have been, and are now 
engaged in the defense of the Southern Frontier: \ 

"On the eighteenth day of August last your frontier 
was invaded by the Indians. You promptly rallied for 
its defense. You checked the advance of the enemy 
and defeated him in two severe battles at New Ulm. 
You have held a line of frontier posts extending over a 
distance of one hundred miles. You have erected six 
substantial fortifications, and other defensive works of 
less magnitude. You have dispersed marauding bands 
of savages that have hung upon your lines. You have 
been uniformly brave, vigilant and obedient to orders. 
By your efforts, the war has been confined to the bor- 



166 History of Minnesota. 

der; without them, it would have penetrated into the 
heart of the state. 
*^' ' "Major General Pope has assumed command of the 
Northwest, and will control future operations. He 
promises a vigorous prosecution of the war. Five com- 
panies of the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Regiment and five 
hundred cavalry from Iowa are ordered into the region 
now held by you, and will supply the places of those 
whose terms of enlistment shortly expire. The depart- 
ment of the southern frontier, which I have had the 
honor to command, will, from the date of this order, be 
under the command of Colonel M. Montgomery of the 
Twenty-fifth Wisconsin, whom I take pleasure in intro- 
ducing to the troops and citizens of that department as 
a soldier and a man to whom they may confide their in- 
terests and the safety of their country, with every assur- 
ance that they will be protected and defended. -' 

"Pressing pubHc duties of a civil nature demand my 
absence temporarily from the border. The intimate and 
agreeable relations we have sustained toward each other, 
our union in danger and adventure, cause me regret in 
leaving you, but will hasten my return. 

"CHAS. E. FLANDRAU, 
"Colonel Commanding Southern Frontier." ' 

This practically terminated my connection with the 
war. All matters yet to be related took place in other 
parts of the state, under the command of Colonel Sibley 
and others. 

COLONEL SIBLEY MOVES UPON THE ENEMY 

We left Colonel Sibley, on the 4th of September, at 
Fort Rideely. having just relieved the unfortunate com- 
mand of Major Joseph R. Brown, after the fight at Birch 



History of Minnesota. 167 

Coulie. Knowing that the Indians had in their posses- 
sion many white captives, and having- their rescue alive 
uppermost in his mind, the colonel left on the battlefield 
at Birch Coulie the following communication, attached 
to a stake driven in the ground, feeling assured that it 
would fall into the hands of Little Crow, the leader of the 
Indians. 

"If Little Crow has any proposition to make, let 
him send a half-breed to me, and he shall be protected in 
and out of camp. 

"H. H. SIBLEY, 
"Colonel Commanding Military Expedition" 

The note was found, and answered by Little Crow 
in a manner rather irrelevant Jto the subject most de- 
sired by Colonel Sibley. It was dated at Yellow Medi- 
cine, September 7th, and delivered by two half-breeds. 

Colonel Sibley returned the following answer by the 
bearers : 

"Little Crow, you have murdered many of our peo- 
ple without any sufficient cause. Return me the prison- 
ers under a flag of truce, and I will talk with you like a 
man." 

No response was received to this letter until Septem- 
ber 1 2th, when Little Crow sent another, saying that he 
had 155 prisoners, not including those held by the Sis- 
setons and Wakpaytons, who were at Lac qui Parle, and 
were coming down. He also gave assurances that the 
prisoners were faring well. Colonel Sibley, on the 12th 
of September, sent a reply by Little Crow's messengers, 
saying that no peace could be made without a surrender 
of the prisoners, but not promising peace on any terms, 
and charging the commission of nine murders since the 
receipt of Little Crow's last letter. The same messen- 
ger that brought this letter from Little Crow also de- 



168 History of Minnesota. 

livered, quite a long one from Wabasha and Taopee, two 
lower chiefs who claimed to be friendly, and desired a 
meeting- with Colonel Sibley, suggesting two places 
where it could be held. The Colonel replied that he 
would march in three days, and was powerful enough to 
crush all the Indians ; that they might approach his col- 
umn in open day with a flag of truce, and place them- 
selves under his protection. On the receipt of this note 
a large council was held, at which nearly all the annuity 
Indians were present. Several speeches were made by 
the Upper and Lower Sioux, some in favor of continu- 
ance of the war and "dying in the last ditch," and some 
in favor of surrendering the prisoners. I quote from a 
speech made by Paul Ma-za-ku-ta-ma-ni, who will be 
remembered as one of the Indians who volunteered to 
r-escue the white captives from Ink-pa-du-ta's band, in 
1857, and who was always true to the whites. He said 
among other things : 

"In fighting the whites, you are fighting the thunder 
and lightning. You say you can make a treaty with the 
British government. That is not possible. Have you 
not yet come to your senses? They are also white men, 
and neighbors and friends to the soldiers. They are 
ruled by a petticoat, and she has the tender heart of a 
squaw. What will she do for the men who have com- 
mitted the murders you have?" 

This correspondence was kept up for several days, 
quite a number of letters coming from the Indians to 
Colonel Sibley, but with no satisfactory results. On the 
l8th of September, Colonel Sibley determined to move 
upon the enemy, and on that day camp was broken at 
the fort, a boat constructed, and a crossing of the Minne- 
sota river effected near the fort, to prevent the possi- 
bility of an ambuscade. Colonel Sibley's force consisted 



History of Minnesota. 169 

of the Sixth Regiment under Colonel Crooks, about 
three hundred men of the Third under Major Welch, 
several companies of the Seventh under Col. William R. 
Marshall, a small number of mounted men under Col- 
onel McPhail, and a battery under the command of Capt. 
Mark Hendricks. The expedition moved up the river 
without encountering any opposition until the morning 
of the twenty-third of September. Indians had been in 
sight during all the march, carefully watching the move- 
ments of the troops, and several messages of defiance 
were found attached to fences and houses. 

THE BATTLE OP WOOD LAKE. 

On the evening of the 226. the expedition camped 
at Lone Tree lake, about two miles from the Yellow 
Medicine river, and about three miles east from Wood 
lake. Early next morning several foraging teams be- 
longing to the Third Regiment were fired upon. They 
returned the fire, and retreated toward the camp. At 
this juncture the Third Regiment without orders, sal- 
lied out, crossed a deep ravine and soon engaged the 
enemy. They were ordered back by the commander, 
and had not reached camp before Indians appeared on 
all sides in great numbers, many of them in the ravine 
between the Third Regiment and the camp. Thus be- 
gan the battle of Wood Lake. Captain Hendricks 
opened with his cannon and the howitzer under the di- 
rect command of Colonel Sibley, and poured in shot and 
shell. It has since been learned that Little Crow had 
appointed ten of his best men to kill Colonel Sibley at all 
hazards, and that the shells directed by the colonel's 
own hand fell into this special squad and dispersed them. 
Captain Hendricks pushed his cannon to the head of the 
ravine, and raked it with great effect, and Colonel Mar- 



~^ 



170 History of Minnesota. 

shall, with three companies of the Seventh and Captain 
Grant's company of the Sixth, charged down the ravine 
on a double quick, and routed the Indians. About eight 
hundred of the command were engaged in the conflict, 
and met about an equal number of Indians. Our loss was 
about nine killed and between forty and fifty wounded. 
Major Welch of the Third was shot in the leg, but not 
fatally. The Third and the Renville Rangers under 
Capt. James Gorman bore the brunt of the fight, which 
lasted about an hour and a half, and sustained the most 
of the losses. Colonel Sibley, in his official report of 
the encounter, gives great credit to his staff and all of 
his command. An-pay-tu-tok-a-cha, or John Otherday, 
was with the whites, and took a conspicuous part in the 
fray. 

Thus ended the battle of Wood Lake. It was an 
important factor in the war, as it was about the first time 
the Indians engaged large forces of well organized 
troops in the open country, and their utter discomfiture 
put them on the run. It will be noticed that I have not 
in any of my narratives of battles, used the stereotyped 
expression, "Our losses were so many, but the losses of 
the enemy were much greater, but as they always carry 
off their dead and wounded, it is impossible to give ex- 
act figures." The reason I have not made use of this 
common expression is, because I don't believe it. The 
philosophy of Indian warfare is, to kill your enemy and 
not get killed yourself, and they can take cover more 
skillfully than any other people. In all our Indian wars, 
from the Atlantic westward, with regulars or militia, I 
believe it would not be an exaggeration to say that the 
whites have lost ten to one in killed and wounded. But 
the battle of Wood Lake was quite an open fight, and so 
rapidly conducted and concluded that we have a very ac- 



History of Minnesota. 171 

curate account of the loss of the enemy. He had no time 
or opportunity to withdraw his dead. Fifteen dead were 
found upon the field, and one wounded prisoner was 
taken. No doubt many others were wounded who were 
able to escape. After this fight Colonel Sibley retired 
to the vicinity of an Indian camp, located nearly oppo- 
site the mouth of the Chippewa river, where it empties 
into the Minnesota, and there encamped. This point 
was afterwards called "Camp Release," from the fact 
that the white prisoners held by the enemy were here 
delivered to Colonel Sibley's command. We will leave 
Colonel Sibley and his troops at Camp Release, and nar- 
rate the important events that occurred on the Red 
River of the North, at and about 

FORT ABERCROMBIE. 

The United States government, about the year 1858, 
erected a military post on the west side of the Red River 
of the North,' at a place then known as Graham's Point, 
between what are now known as the cities of Brecken- 
ridge and Fargo. Like most of the frontier posts of that 
day, it was not constructed with reference to defense, but 
more as a depot for troops and military stores. It was 
then in the midst of the Indian country, and is now in 
Richland county. North Dakota. The troops that had 
garrisoned the fort had been sent south to aid in sup- 
pressing the Southern rebellion, and their places had 
been supplied by one company of the Fifth Regiment of 
Minnesota Volunteers, which was commanded by Capt. 
John Van der Horck. There was a place down the river, 
and north of the fort, about fifty miles, called George- 
town, at which there were some settlers, and a depot of 
stores for the company engaged in the navigation of the 
river. At the commencement of the outbreak Captain 



172 History of Minnesota. 

Van der Horck had detached about one-half of his com- 
pany, and sent them to Georgetown, to protect the in- 
terests centered at that point. 

About the 20th of August news reached Abercrom- 
bie from the Yellow Medicine agency that trouble was 
expected from the Indians. An expedition was on the 
way to Red lake to make a treaty with the Chippewa In- 
dians, consisting of the government commissioners and 
party, accompanied by a train of thirty loaded wagons 
and a herd of two hundred cattle. On the 23d of Au- 
gust, news reached Fort Abercrombie that a large body 
of Indians were on the way to capture this party. A 
courier was at once dispatched to the train, and it sought 
refuge in the fort. Runners were also sent to all the set- 
tlements in the vicinity, and the warning spread of the 
approaching danger. Happily nearly all of the sur- 
rounding people reached the fort before the arrival of 
the enemy. The detachment stationed at Georgetown 
was also called in. A mail coach that left the fort on 
the 22d, fell into the hands of the Indians, who killed 
the driver and destroyed the mail. 

The garrison had been strengthened by about fifty 
men capable of duty from the refugees, but they were 
unarmed. Captain Van der Horck strengthened his 
post by all means in his power, and endeavored to ob- 
tained reinforcements. Captain Freeman, with about 
sixty men, started from St. Cloud, on the Mississippi, to 
relieve the garrison at Abercrombie, but on reaching 
Sauk Center the situation appeared so alarming that it 
was deemed imprudent to proceed with so small a force, 
and no addition could be made to it at Sauk Center. 
Attempts were made to reinforce the fort from other 
points. Two companies were sent from Fort Snelling, 
and got as far as Sauk Center, but the force was even 



History op Minnesota. 173 

then deemed inadequate to proceed to Abercrombie. 
Part of the Third Regiment was also dispatched from 
Snelling to its rehef on September 6th. Another expe- 
dition, consisting of companies under command of Cap- 
tains George Atkinson and Rollo Banks, with a small 
squad of about sixty men of the Third Regiment, under 
command of Sergeant Dearborn, together with a field 
piece under Lieutenant Robert J. McHenry, was formed, 
and placed under the command of Capt. Emil A. Burger. 
This command started on September loth, and after a 
long and arduous march, reached the fort on the 23d of 
September, finding the wearied and anxious garrison 
still in possession. Captain Burger had been rein- 
forced at Wyman's station, on the Alexandria road, on 
the 19th of September, by the companies under Captains 
Freeman and Barrett, who had united their men on the 
14th, and started for the fort. The relief force amounted 
to quite four hundred men by the time it reached its 
destination. i 

While this long delayed force was on its way the lit- 
tle garrison at the fort had its hands full to maintain its 
position. On the 30th of August a large body of In- 
dians made a bold raid on the post, and succeeded in 
stampedine and running off nearly two hundred head of 
cattle and one hundred head of horses and mules which 
were grazing on the prairie. Some fifty of the cattle 
afterwards escaped, and were restored to the post by a 
scouting party. This band of marauders did not, how- 
ever, attack the fort. No one who has not experienced 
it can appreciate the mortification of seeing an enemy 
despoil you of your property when you are powerless 
to resist.^ An attack was made on the fort on the 3d of 
September, and some stacks burned and a few horses 
captured. Several men were killed on both sides, and 



174 History of Minnesota. 

Captain Van der Horck was wounded in the right arm 
from an accidental shot from one of his own men. On 
September 6th a second attack was made by a large force 
of Indians, which lasted nearly all day, in which we lost 
two men and had several wounded. No further attack 
was made until the 26th of September, when Captain 
Freeman's company was fired on while watering their 
horses in the river. These Indians were routed and pur- 
sued by Captain Freeman's company, and a squad of the 
Third Regiment men, with a howitzer. Their camp was 
captured, which contained quite an amount of plunder. 
A light skirmish took place on the 29th of September, 
in which the enemy was routed, and this affair ended 
the siege of Fort Abercrombie. 

CAMP RELEASE. 

Colonel Sibley's command made Camp Release on 
the 26th of September. This camp was in the near 
vicinity of a large Indian camp of about 150 lodges. 
These Indians were composed of Upper and Lower 
Sioux, and had generally been engaged in all the mas- 
sacres that had taken place since the outbreak. They 
had with them some 250 prisoners, composed of women 
and children, whites and half-breeds. Only one white 
man was found in the camp, George Spencer, who had 
been desperately wounded at the Lower Agency, and 
saved from death by an Indian friend of his. 

The desire of the troops to attack and punish these 
savages was intense, but Colonel Sibley kept steadily in 
mind that the rescue of the prisoners was his first duty, 
and he well knew that any demonstration of violence 
would immediately result in the destruction of the 
captives. He therefore wisely overruled all hostile in- 
clinations. ' The result was a general surrender of the 



History of Minnesota. 175 

whole camp, together with all the prisoners. As soon 
as the safety of the captives was assured, inquiry was in- 
stituted as to the participation of these Indians in the 
massacres and outrages which had been so recently 
perpetrated. Many cases were soon developed of par- 
ticular Indians, whoi had been guilty of the grossest 
atrocities, and the commander decided to form a mili- 
tary tribunal to try the offenders. 

TRIAL OF THE INDIANS. 

The state has reason to congratulate itself on two 
things in this connection. First, that it had so wise and 
just a man as Colonel Sibley to select this important 
tribunal, and, second, that he had at his command such 
admirable material from which to make his selection. 
It must be remembered that this court entered upon its 
duties with the lives of hundreds of men at its absolute 
disposal. Whether they were Indians or any other kind 
of people, the fact must not be overlooked that they 
were human beings, and the responsibility of the tribunal 
was correspondingly great. Colonel Sibley at this date 
sent me a dispatch, declaring his intention in the matter 
of the result of the trials. It is as follows : 

"Camp Release, nine miles below Lac qui Parle, 

Sept. 25, 1862. 

"Colonel: [After speaking of a variety of matters 
concerning the disposition of troops who were in my 
command, the battle of Wood Lake (which he charac- 
terized as "A smart conflict we had with the Indians"), 
the rescue of the prisoners and other matters, he adds :] 

"N. B. — I am encamped near a camp of 150 lodges 
of friendly Indians and half-breeds, but have had to 



176 History of Minnesota. 

purge it of suspected characters. I have apprehended 
sixteen supposed to have been connected with the late 
outrages, and have appointed a military commission of 
five officers to try them. If found guilty they will be 
forthwith executed, although it will perhaps be a stretch 
of my authority. If so, necessity must be my justifica- 
tion. 

"Yours, 

"H. H. SIBLEY." 

On the 28th of September an order was issued con- 
vening this court martial. It was composed of William 
Crooks, colonel of the Sixth Regiment, president ; Wil- 
liam R. Marshall, lieutenant colonel of the Seventh Reg- 
iment ; Captains Grant and Baily of the Sixth, and Lieu- 
tenant Olin of the Third. Others were subsequently 
added as necessity required. All these men were of ma- 
ture years, prominent in their social and general stand- 
ing as citizens, and as well equipped as any persons could 
be to engage in such work. What I regard as the most 
important feature in the composition of this most extra- 
ordinary court is the fact that the Hon. Isaac V. D. 
Heard, an experienced lawyer of St. Paul, who had been 
for many years the prosecuting attorney of Ramsey 
county, and who was thoroughly versed in criminal law, 
was on the staff of Colonel Sibley, and was by him ap- 
pointed recorder of the court. Mr. Heard, in the per- 
formance of his duty, was above prejudice or passion, 
and could treat a case of this nature as if it was a mere 
misdemeanor. Lieutenant Olin was judge advocate of 
this court, but as the trials progressed the evidence was 
all put in and the records kept by Mr. Heard. Some 
changes were made in the personnel of the court from 
time to time as the officers were needed elsewhere, but 



History of Minnesota. 177 

none of the changes lessened the dignity or character of 
the tribunal. I make these comments because the trials 
took place at a period of intense excitement, and persons 
unacquainted with the facts may be led to believe that 
the court was "organized to convict," and was unfair 
in its decisions. 

The court sat some time at Camp Release, then at 
the Lower Agency, and Mankato, where it investigated 
the question whether the Winnebagoes had participated 
in the outbreak ; but none of that tribe were implicated, 
which proves that the court acted judicially, and not 
upon unreliable evidence, as the country was full of 
rumors and charges that the Winnebagoes were impli- 
cated. The court terminated its sittings at Fort Snell- 
ing, after a series of sessions lasting from Sept. 30 to 
Nov. 5, 1862, during which 425 prisoners were arraigned 
and tried. Of these 321 were found guilty of the of- 
fenses charged, of whom 303 were sentenced to death, 
and the rest to various terms of imprisonment according 
to the nature of their crimes. The condemned prison- 
ers were removed to Mankato, where they were confined 
in a large guardhouse, constructed of logs for the pur- 
pose, and were guarded by a strong force of soldiers. 
On the way down, as the party having charge of the 
prisoners passed through New Ulm they found the in- 
habitants disinterring the dead, who had been hastily 
buried in the streets where they fell during the fights 
at that place. The sight of the Indians so enraged the 
people that a general attack was made on the wagons 
in which they were chained together. The attacking 
force was principally composed of women, armed with 
clubs, stones, knives, hot water and similar weapons. 
Of course, the guard could not shoot or bayonet a wom- 
an, and they got the prisoners through the town with 
the loss of one killed and many battered and bruised. 
12 



178 History of Minnesota. 

While this court martial was in session the news of 
its proceedings reached the eastern cities, and a great 
outcry was raised, that Minnesota was contemplating a 
dreadful massacre of Indians. Many influential bodies 
of well-intentioned but ill-informed people beseeched 
President Lincoln to put a stop to the proposed execu- 
tions. The president sent for the records of the trials, 
and turned them over to his legal and military advisors 
to decide which were the more flagrant cases. On the 
sixth day of December, 1862, the president made the 
following order : 

"Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C, 

"Dec. 6, 1862. 
"Brigadier General Henry H. Sibley, St. Paul, Minn. : 

"Ordered, that of the Indians and half-breeds sen- 
tenced to be hanged by the military commission, com- 
posed of Colonel Crooks, Lieutenant Colonel Marshall, 
Captain Grant, Captain Bailey and Lieutenant Olin, and 
lately sitting in Minnesota, you cause to be executed on 
Friday, the nineteenth day of December, instant, the 
following named, to-wit : 

(Here follow the names of thirty-nine Indians, and 
their numbers on the record of conviction.) 

"The other condemned prisoners you will hold, sub- 
ject to further orders, taking care that they neither es- 
cape nor are subjected to any unlawful violence. 

"ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 
''President of the United S tales. ^^ 

Colonel Sibley had been appointed, by President 
Lincoln, a brigadier general, on the 29th of September, 
1862, on account of his success at the battle of Wood 
Lake, the announcement of his promotion being in a 
telegram, as follows : 



History of Minnesota. 179 

"Washington, D. C, Sept. 29. 1862. 
"Major General Pope, St. Paul, Minn., 

''Colonel Henry H. Sibley is made a brigadier gen- 
eral for his judicious fight at Yellow Medicine. He 
should be kept in command of that column, and every 
possible assistance sent to him. 

"H. W. HALLECK, 
"General in Chief." 

His commission as brigadier general was not issued 
until March 26, 1864, but, of course, this telegram 
amounted to an appointment to the position, and if ac- 
cepted, as it was, made him subject to the orders of the 
president ; so, notwithstanding his dispatch to me. stat- 
ing that the Indians, if convicted, would be forthwith 
executed, he could not very well carry out such an ex- 
treme duty without first submitting it to the federal au- 
thorities, of which he had become a part. 

My view of the question has always been that, when 
the court martial was organized, Colonel Sibley had no 
idea that more than twenty or twenty-five of the Indians 
would be convicted, which is partly inferrable from his 
dispatch to me, in which he said he had "apprehended 
sixteen supposed to have been connected with the late 
outrages." But when the matter assumed the propor- 
tions it did, and he found on his hands some three hun- 
dred men to kill, he was glad to shift the responsibility 
to higher authority. Any humane man would have 
been of the same mind. I have my own views, also, 
of the reasons of the general government in eliminating 
from the list of the condemned all but thirty-nine. It 
was not because these thirty-nine were more guilty than 
the rest, but because we were engaged in a great civil 
war, and the eyes of the world were upon us. Had 
these three hundred men been executed, the charge 



180 History of Minnesota. 

would have undoubtedly been made by the South, that 
the North was murdering prisoners of war, and the au- 
thorities at Washington, knowing full well that the other 
nations were not capable of making the proper discrimi- 
nation, and perhaps not anxious to do so if they were, 
deemed it safer not to incur the odium which might fol- 
low from such an accusation. 

EXECUTION OF THE THTRTT-EIGHT CONDEMNED INDIANS. 

The result of the matter was that the order of the 
president was obeyed, and on the 26th of December, 
1862, thirty-eight of the condemned Indians were exe- 
cuted, by hanging, at Mankato, one having been par- 
doned by the president. Cotemporaneous history, or, 
rather, general public knowledge, of what actually oc- 
curred, says that the pardoned Indian was hanged, and 
one of the others liberated by mistake. As an historian, 
I do not assert this to be true, but as a citizen, thor- 
oughly well informed of current events at the time of 
this execution, I believe it to be a fact. The hanging of 
the thirty-eight was done on one gallows, constructed in 
a square form, capable of sustaining ten men on each 
side. They were placed upon a platform facing inwards, 
and dropped all at once by the cutting of a rope. The 
execution was successful in all its details, and reflects 
credit on the ingenuity and engineering skill of Captain 
Burt of Stillwater, who was intrusted with the construc- 
tion of the deadly machine. The rest of the condemned 
Indians were, after some time, taken down to Daven- 
port in Iowa, and held in confinement until the excite- 
ment had generally subsided, when they were sent west 
of the Missouri and set free. x\n Indian never forgets 
what he regards as an injury, and never forgives an en- 
emy. It is my opinion that all the troubles that have 



History of Minnesota. 181 

taken place since the liberation of these Indians, with 
the tribes inhabiting the western plains and mountains, 
up to a recent date, have grown out of the evil counsels 
of these savages. The only proper course to have pur- 
sued with them, when it was decided not to hang them, 
was to have exiled them to some remote post, — say, the 
Dry Tortugas, — where communication with their peo- 
ple would have been impossible, set them to work on 
fortifications or other public works, and allowed them 
to pass out by life limitation. 

' The execution of these Indians practically terminated 
the campaign for the year 1862, no other event worthy of 
detailed record having occurred ; but the Indian war was 
far from being over, and it was deemed prudent to keep 
within the state a sufificient force of troops to success- 
fully resist all further attacks, and to inaugurate an ag- 
gressive campaign in the coming year. The whole of 
the Sixth, Seventh and Tenth Regiments, the Mounted 
Rangers, some artillery organizations, scouts and other 
troops were wintered in the state at various points along 
the more exposed frontier, and in 1863 a formidable ex- 
pedition, under command of General Sibley, was sent 
from Minnesota to crush the enemy,' which was to be 
aided and cooperated with, by another expedition, un- 
der Gen. Alfred Sully, of equal proportions, which was 
to start from Sioux City, on the Missouri. After the 
attack at Birch Coulie and its relief. Little Crow, with 
a large part of his followers, branched off, and went to 
the vicinity of Acton, and there attacked the command 
under Capt. Richard Strout, where a severe battle was 
fought, in which several of Captain Strout's men were 
killed. On the 3d of July, 1863, Crow ventured down 
to the neighborhood of Hutchinson, with his young son, 
probably to get something which he had hidden, or to 



y 



182 History of Minnesota. 

Steal horses, and while he was picking berries, a farmer 
named Lamson, who was in search of his cows, saw him 
and shot him dead. His scalp now decorates the walls 
of the Minnesota Historical Society. 

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1863. V 

The remnant of Little Crow's followers were sup- 
posed to be rendezvoused at Devil's lake, in Dakota Ter- 
ritory, and reinforced by a large body of the Upper 
Sioux. An expedition against them was devised by 
General Pope, to be commanded by General Sibley. 
It was to assemble at a point near the mouth of the 
Redwood river, some twenty-five miles above Fort 
Ridgely. On the 7th of June, 1863, General Sibley 
arrived at the point of departure, which was named 
Camp Pope, in honor of the commanding general. ' The 
force composing the expedition was as follows: One 
company of pioneers, under Captain Chase ; ten com- 
panies of the Sixth Regiment, under Colonel Crooks; 
eight companies of the Tenth Regiment, under Colonel 
Baker; nine companies of the Seventh, under Lieuten- 
ant Colonel Marshall ; eight pieces of artillery, under 
Captain Jones ; nine companies of Minnesota Mounted 
Rangers, under Colonel McPhail ; seventy-five Indian 
scouts under Major Brown, George McLeod and Major 
Dooley; in all 3,052 infantry, 800 cavalry and 148 artil- 
lerymen. The command, from the nature of the coun- 
try it had to traverse, was compelled to depend upon its 
own supply train, which was composed of 225 six-mule 
wagons. The staff was complete, consisting of Adjutant 
General Olin, Brigade Commissary Forbes, Assistant 
Commissary and Ordnance Officer Atchison, Commis- 
sary Clerk Spencer, Quartermaster Corning, Assistant 
Quartermaster Kimball, Aides-de-camp Lieutenants 



History of Minnesota. 183 

Pope, Beever, Hawthorne and A. St. Clair Flandrau, 
Chaplain, Rev. S. R. Riggs. 

The column moved from Camp Pope on June i6, 
1863. The weather was intensely hot, and the country- 
over which the army had to march was wild and unin- 
habited. At first the Indians retreated in the direction 
of the British Hne, but it was discovered that their course 
had been changed to the direction of the Missouri river. 
They had probably heard that General Sully had been 
delayed by low water and hoped to be able to cross to 
the west bank of that stream before his arrival to inter- 
cept them, with the future hope that they would, no 
doubt, be reenforced by the Sioux inhabiting the country 
west of the Missouri. On the 4th of July the expedition 
reached the Big Bend of the Cheyenne river. On the 
17th of July Colonel Sibley received reliable information 
that the main body of the Indians was moving toward 
the Missouri, which was on the 20th of July confirmed 
by a visit at Camp Atchison of about three hundred 
Chippewa half-breeds, led by a Catholic priest named 
Father Andre. On becoming satisfied that the best 
fruits of the march could be attained by bending towards 
the Missouri, the general decided to reHeve his command 
of as much impedimenta as was consistent with comfort 
and safety and would increase the rapidity of its move- 
ments. He therefore established a permanent post at 
Camp Atchison, about fifty miles southeasterly from 
Devil's lake, where he left all the sick and disabled men, 
and a large portion of his ponderous train, with a suffi- 
cient guard to defend them if attacked. He then im- 
mediately started for the Missouri, with 1,436 infantry, 
520 cavalry, 100 pioneers and artillerymen, and twenty- 
five days' rations. On the 22nd he crossed the James 
river, forty-eight miles west of Camp Atchison, and on 



■>^ 



184 History of Minnesota. 

the 24th reached the vicinity of Big Mound, beyond 
the second ridge of the Missouri coteau. Here the 
scouts reported large bodies of Indians, with Red Plume 
and Standing Buffalo among them. 

BATTLE OF BIG MOUND. 

The general, expecting an attack on the 24th, cor- 
ralled his train, and threw up some earthworks to en- 
able a smaller force to defend it. The Indians soon ap- 
peared. Dr. Weiser, surgeon of the First Rangers, sup- 
posing he saw some old friends among them, approached 
too close and was instantly killed. Lieutenant Free- 
man, who had wandered some distance from the camp, 
was also killed. ' The battle opened at three p. m., in the 
midst of a terrific thunderstorm, and after some sharp 
fighting, the Indians, numbering about fifteen hundred, 
fled in the direction of their camp, and were closely pur- 
sued. A general panic ensued, the Indian camp was 
abandoned, and the whole throng, men, women and chil- 
dren, fled before the advancing forces. Numerous 
charges were made upon them, amidst the roaring of the 
thunder and the flashing of the lightning. One private 
was killed by lightning, and Colonel McPhail's saber was 
knocked out of his grasp by the same force. 

The Indians are reported to have lost in this fight, 
eighty killed and wounded. They also lost nearly all 
their camp equipment. They were pursued about fif- 
teen miles, and had it not been for a mistake in the de- 
livery of an order by Lieutenant Beever, they would un- 
doubtedly have been overtaken and destroyed. The or- 
der was to bivouac where night caught the pursuing 
troops, but was misunderstood to return. This unfor- 
tunate error gave the Indians two days' start, and they 
put a wide gap between themselves and the troops. The 



History op Minnesota. 185 

battle of Big Mound, as this engagement was called, 
was a decided victory, and counted heavily in the scale 
of advantage, as it put the savages on the run and dis- 
abled them from prosecuting further hostilities. 

BATTLE OF DEAD BUFFALO LAKE. "^ 

On the 26th the command again moved in the direc- 
tion of the fleeing Indians. Their abandoned camp was 
passed on that day early in the morning. About noon 
large bodies of the enemy were discovered, and a brisk 
fight ensued. Attacks and counter attacks were made, 
and a determined fight kept up until about three p. m., 
when a bold dash was made by the Indians to stampede 
the animals which were herded on the banks of a lake, 
but the attempt was promptly met and defeated. The 
Indians, foiled at all points, and having lost heavily in 
killed and wounded, retired from the field. At night 
earthworks were thrown up to prevent a surprise, but 
none was attempted, and this ended the battle of Dead 
Buffalo Lake. 

The general was now convinced that the Indians 
were going toward the Missouri, with the intention of 
putting the river between them and his command, and, 
expecting General Sully's force to be there to intercept 
them, he determined to push them on as rapidly as possi- 
ble, inflicting all the damage he could in their flight. 
The campaign was well conceived, and had Sully arrived 
in time, the result would undoubtedly have been the 
complete destruction or capture of the Indians. But 
low water delayed Sully to such an extent that he failed 
to arrive in time, and the enemy succeeded in crossing 
the river before General Sibley could overtake them. 



186 History of Minnesota. 

BATTLE OP STONY LAKE. 

On the 28th of July Indians were again seen in large 
numbers. They endeavored to encircle the troops. They 
certainly presented a force of two thousand fighting men, 
and must have been reinforced by friends from the west 
side of the Missouri. They were undoubtedly fighting 
to keep the soldiers back until their families could cross 
the river. The troops were well handled. A tremen- 
dous effort was made to break our lines, but the enemy 
was repulsed at all points. The artillery was effective, 
and the Indians finally fled in a panic and rout towards 
the Missouri. '' They were hotly pursued, and, on the 
29th, the troops crossed Apple creek, a small stream a 
few miles from the present site of Bismarck, the capital 
of North Dakota, and pushing on, struck the Missouri 
at a point about four miles above Burnt Boat Island. 
The Indians had succeeded in crossing the river with 
their families, but in a very demoralized condition as 
to supplies and camp equipage. They were plainly 
visible on the bluffs on the opposite side. It was here 
that Lieutenant Beever lost his life while carrying an 
order. He missed the trail and was ambushed and 
killed. He was a young Englishman who had volun- 
teered to accompany the expedition, and whom General 
Sibley had placed upon his staff as an aide. 

Large quantities of wagons and other material, aban- 
doned by the Indians in their haste to cross the river, 
were destroyed. The bodies of Lieutenant Beever and 
a private of the Sixth Regiment, who was killed in the 
same way, were recovered and buried. It was clear that 
the Indians, on learning of the magnitude of the exnedi- 
tion, never contemplated overcoming it in battle, and 
made their movements with reference to delaying its 



History of Minnesota. 187 

• 

progress, while they pushed their women and children 
toward and across the river, knowing there was no rest- 
ing place for them on this side. They succeeded ad- 
mirably, but their success was solely attributed to the 
failure of General Sully to arrive in time. General Sib- 
ley's part of the campaign was carried out to the letter, 
and every man in it, from the commander to the private, 
is entitled to the highest praise. 

On August 1st the command broke camp for home. 
As was learned afterwards. General Sully was then dis- 
tant down the river i6o miles. His delay was no fault of 
his, as it was occasioned by insurmountable obstacles. 
The march home was a weary but uneventful one. The 
campaign of 1863 may be summed up as follows: The 
troops marched nearly 1,200 miles. They fought three 
well-contested battles. They drove from eight to ten 
thousand Indians out of the state, and across the Mis- 
souri river. They lost only seven killed and three 
wounded, and inflicted upon the enemy so severe a loss 
that he never again returned to his old haunts. For his 
meritorious services General Sibley was appointed a 
major general by brevet on Nov, 29, 1865, which ap- 
pointment was duly confirmed by the senate, and he was 
commissioned on April 7, 1866. 

' In July, 1863, a regiment of cavalry was authorized 
by the secretary of war to be raised by Major E. A. C. 
Hatch, for duty on the northern frontier. Several com- .^ 

panics were recruited and marched to Pembina, on the • 

extreme northern border, where they performed valua- 
ble services, and suffered incredible hardships. The 
regiment was called Hatch's Battahon. ^-^ 

CAMPAIGN OF 1864. 

The government very wisely decided not to allow 
the Indian question to rest upon the results of the cam- 



188 History of Minnesota. 

paign of 1863, which left the Indians in possession of 
the country west of the Missouri, rightly supposing that 
they might construe their escape from General Sibley 
the previous year into a victory. It therefore sent out 
another expedition in 1864, to pursue and attack them 
beyond the Missouri. .• The plan and outfit were very 
similar to those of 1863. General Sully was again to pro- 
ceed up the Missouri with a large command, and meet a 
force sent out from Minnesota, which forces when com- 
bined were to march westward, and find and punish the 
savages if possible. ' The expedition, as a whole, was 
under the command of General Sully. It consisted of 
two brigades, the first composed of Iowa and Kansas in- 
fantry and cavalry, and Brackett's Batallion, to the num- 
ber of several thousand, which was to start from Sioux 
City and proceed up the Missouri in steamboats. The 
second embraced the Eighth Regiment of Minnesota 
Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Thomas, mounted on 
ponies; the Second Minnesota Cavalry, under Colonel 
MacLaren ; the Third Minnesota Battery, under Captain 
Jones. The Second Brigade was commanded by Col- 
onel Thomas. This brigade left Fort Snelling on June 
1st, and marched westward. General Sibley and stafif 
accompanied it as far as Fort Ridgely. On the 9th of 
June it passed Wood Lake, the scene of the fight in 
1862. About this point it overtook a large train of 
emigrants on their way to Idaho, who had with them 160 
wagon loads of supplies. This train was escorted to the 
Missouri river safely. The march was wearisome in the 
extreme, with intensely hot weather and very bad water, 
and was only enlivened by the appearance occasionally 
of a herd of buffalo, a band of antelope, or a straggling 
elk. The movements of the command were carefully 
watched by flying bands of Indians during its whole 



History of Minnesota. 189 

march. On July ist the Missouri was reached at a point 
where now stands Fort Rice. General Sully and the 
First Brigade had arrived there the day before. The 
crossing- was made by the boats that brought up the 
First Brigade. The column was immediately directed 
toward Cannon Ball river, where i,8oo lodges of Indians 
were reported to be camped. The Indians fled before 
the approaching troops. On the last of July the Heart 
river was reached, where a camp was formed, and the 
tents and teams left behind. Thus relieved, the com- 
mand pressed forward for an Indian camp eighty miles 
northward. On the 2d of August the Indians were found 
in large numbers on the Big Knife river, in the Bad 
lands. These were Unca-Papa Sioux, who had mur- 
dered a party of miners from Idaho the year before, and 
had given aid and comfort to the Minnesota refugee In- 
dians. They were attacked, and a very spirited engage- 
ment ensued in which the enemy was badly beaten and 
suffered severe losses. The place where this battle was 
fought was called Ta-ka-ho-ku-tay, or "The blufif where 
the man shot the deer." 

On the next day, August 3d, the command moved 
west through the Bad Lands, and just as it emerged 
from this terribly ragged country it was sharply attacked 
by a large body of Indians. The fight lasted through 
two days and nights, when the enemy retired in haste. 
They were very roughly handled in this engagement. 

General Sully then crossed to the west side of the 
Yellowstone river, where the weary soldiers found two 
steamboats awaiting them, with ample supplies. In 
crossing this rapid river the command lost three men and 
about twenty horses. From this point they came home 
by the way of Forts Union, Berthold and Stevenson, 
reaching Fort Rice on the 9th of September. 



190 History of Minnesota. 

On this trip General Sully located Forts Rice, Stev- 
enson and Berthold. 

On reaching Fort Rice, considerable anxiety was 
felt for Colonel Fisk, who, with a squad of fifty troops, 
had left the fort as an escort for a train of Idaho immi- 
grants, and had been attacked i8o miles west of the fort, 
and had been compelled to intrench. He had sent for 
reenforcements, and General Sully sent him three hun- 
dred men, who extricated him from his perilous posi- 
tion. 

The Minnesota brigade returned home by way of 
Fort Wadsworth, where they arrived on September 27th. 
Here Major Rose, with six companies of the Second 
Cavalry, was left to garrison the post, the balance of the 
command reaching Fort Snelling on the 12th of Octo- 
ber. 

In June, 1865, another expedition left Minnesota for 
the west, under Colonel Callahan of Wisconsin, which 
went as far as Devil's lake. The first, second and fourth 
sections of the Third Minnesota battery accompanied it. 
' Again, in 1866, an expedition started from Fort Aber- 
crombie, which included the first section of the Third 
Battery, under Lieutenant Whipple. As no important 
results followed from these two latter expeditions. I only 
mention them as being parts of the Indian war. 

The numbers of Indians engaged in this war, to- 
gether with their superior fighting qualities, their arma- 
ment, and the country occupied by them gives it rank 
among the most important of the Indian wars fought 
since the first settlement of the country on the Atlantic 
coast. But when viewed in the light of the number of 
settlers massacred, the amount of property destroyed, 
and the horrible atrocities committed by the savages, it 
far surpasses them all. 



History of Minnesota. 191 

I have dwelt upon this war to such an extent be- 
cause I regard it as the most important event in the his- 
tory of our state, and desire to perpetuate the facts more 
especially connected with the gallant resistance ofifered 
by the settlers in its inception. Not an instance of tim- 
idity is recorded. The inhabitants engaged in the peace- 
ful pursuits of agriculture, utterly unprepared for war, 
sprang to the front on the first indication of danger, and 
checked the advance of the savage enemy in his initial 
efforts. The importance of battles should never be 
measured by the number engaged, or the lists of killed 
and wounded, but by the consequences of their results. 
I think the repulse of the Indians at Fort Ridgely and 
New Ulm saved the State of Minnesota from a disaster 
the magnitude of which cannot be estimated. Their 
advance was checked at the very frontier, and they were 
compelled to retreat, thus affording time and opportu- 
nity for the whites to organize for systematic action. 
Had they not met with this early check, it is more than 
probable that the Chippewas on the Upper Mississippi 
and the Winnebagoes in the Lower Minnesota valley 
would have joined them, and the war have been carried 
into the heart of the state. Instances of a similar char- 
acter have occurred in our early wars which illustrate 
my position. The battle of Oriscany, which was fought 
in the Revolutionary War in the valley of the Mohawk, 
between Rome and Utica, was not more of an encounter 
than Ridgely or New Ulm, yet it has been characterized 
as one of the decisive battles of the world, because it pre- 
vented a junction of the British forces under St. Ledger 
in the west and Burgoyne in the east, and made Ameri- 
can independence possible. ^ The State of New York 
recognized the value of Oriscany just one hundred years 
after the battle was fought, by the erection of a monu- 



192 History of Minnesota. 

ment to commemorate it. The State of Minnesota has 
done better, by erecting imposing monuments on both 
the battlefields of Ridgely and New Ulm, the inscrip- 
tions on which give a succinct history of the respective 
events. 

The state also presented each of the defenders of Fort 
Ridgely with a handsome bronze medal, especially struck 
for the purpose, the presentation of which took place at 
the time of the dedication of the monument, on the twen- 
tieth day of August, 1896. 

The medal has a picture of the fort on its obverse 
side, surrounded by the words, "Defender of Fort Ridge- 
ly, August 18-27, 1862." Just over the flag staff, in a 
scroll, is the legend, in Sioux, "Ti-yo-pa-na-ta-ka-pi," 
which means, "It shut the door against us," referring to 
the battle having obstructed the further advance of the 
Indians. This was said by one of the Indians in the at- 
tacking party in giving his view of the effect of the re- 
pulse, and adopted by the committee having charge of 
the preparation of the medal as being appropriate and 
true. On the reverse side are the words, "Presented by 

the State of Minnesota to ," encircled by a wreath 

of moccasin flowers, which is the flower of the state. 

The state has also placed monuments at Birch Coulie, 
Camp Release and Acton. I regret to be compelled to 
say that a. majority of the committee having charge of 
the building of the Birch Coulie monument so far failed 
in the performance of their duties as to the location of 
the monument and formulating its inscriptions that the 
legislature felt compelled to pass an act to correct their 
errors. The correction has not yet been made, but in 
the cause of true history it is to be hoped that it v^^ill be in 
the near future. The state also erected a handsome 
monument, in the cemetery of Fort Ridgely, to Captain 



History of Minnesota. 193 

Marsh and the twenty-three men of his company that 
were killed at the ferry, near the Lower Sioux Agency, 
on Aug. i8, 1862, and, by special act, passed long after 
at the request of old settlers, added the name of Peter 
Quinn, the interpreter, who was killed at the same time 
and place. The state also built a monument in the same 
cemetery in remembrance of the wife of Dr. Muller, the 
post surgeon at Ridgely during the siege, on account 
of the valuable services rendered by her in nursing the 
wounded soldiers. 

A LONG PERIOD OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY. 

After the stirring events of the Civil and Indian wars 
Minnesota resumed its peaceful ways, and continued to 
grow and prosper for a long series of years, excepting 
the period from 1873 to 1876, when it was afflicted with 
the plague of grasshoppers. Possessed of the many ad- 
vantages that nature has bestowed upon it, there was 
nothing else for it to do. The state, as far as it was then 
developed, was exclusively agricultural, and wheat was 
its staple production, although almost every character of 
grain and vegetable can be produced in exceptional 
abundance. Potatoes of the first quality were among its 
earliest exports,. but that crop is not sufficiently valuable 
or portable to enter extensively into the catalogue of its 
productions, beyond the needs of domestic use. 

INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW PROCESS OF MILLING WHEAT. 

The wheat raised in Minnesota was, and always has 
been, of the spring variety, and up to about the year 
1874 was regarded in the markets of the world as an in- 
ferior article of grain, when compared with the winter 
wheat of states further south, and the flour made from 

it was also looked upon as much less valuable than its 
13 



194 History op Minnesota. 

competitor, made from winter wheat. The state labored 
under this disability in realizing upon its chief product 
for many years, both in the wheat, and the flour made 
from it. Many mills were erected at the Falls of St. An- 
thony, with a very great output of flour, which, with the 
lumber manufactured at that point, composed the chief 
export of the state. The process of grinding wheat was 
the old style, of an upper and nether millstone, which 
left the flour of darker color, less nutritious, and less de- 
sirable than that from the winter wheat made in the same 
way. About the year 1871 it was discovered that a new 
process of manufacturing flour was in operation on the 
Danube and at Budapest. Mr. George H. Christian, a 
partner of Gov. C. C, Washburn in the milling business 
at Minneapolis, studied the invention, which consisted of 
crushing the wheat by means of rollers made of steel and 
porcelain, instead of grinding it, as of old, to which the 
French had added a new process of eliminating the bran 
specs from the crushed product, bv means of a flat oscil- 
lating screen or bolt with an upward blast of air through 
it, upon which the crushed product was placed and 
cleansed of all bran impurities. In 1871 Gen. C. C. 
Washburn and Mr. Christian introduced this French in- 
vention into their mills in Minneapolis, and derived from 
it great advantage in the appearance and value of their 
flour. This was called a "middlings purifier." In 1S74 
they introduced the roller crushing process, and the re- 
sult was, that the hard spring wheat returned a flour su- 
perior to the product of the winter wheat, and placed 
Minnesota upon more than an equaHty with the best 
flour-producing states in the Union. This process has 
been universally adopted throughout the United States 
in all milling localities, with great advantage to that in- 
dustry. 



History op Minnesota. 195 

It is a rather curious fact that, as all our milline: 
knowledge was originally inherited from England, which 
country is very sluggish in the adoption of new 
methods, it was not until our improved flour reached 
that country that the English millers accepted the new 
method, and have since acted upon it. It is a case of 
the pupil instructing his preceptor. 

I regard the introduction of these improvements in 
the manufacture of flour into this state as of prime im- 
portance to its growth and increase of wealth and 
strength. It is estimated by the best judges that the 
value of our spring wheat was increased at least twenty 
per cent by their adoption, and when we consider that 
the state produced, in 1898, 78,418,000 bushels of wheat, 
its magnitude can be better appreciated. It formerly 
required five bushels of wheat to make a barrel of flour ; 
under the new process it only takes four bushels and 
seven pounds to make a barrel of the same weight — 196 
pounds. 

The only record that is kept of flour in Minnesota is 
for the two points of Minneapolis and the head of the 
lakes ; the latter including Duluth. and Superior, in Wis- 
consin. The output of Minneapolis for the crop year of 
1898-99 was 15,164,881 barrels, and for Duluth-Superior 
for the same period 2,637,035 barrels. The estimate for 
the whole state is 25,000,000 barrels. These figures are 
taken from the Northwestern Miller, a reliable publica- 
tion in Minneapolis. 

The credit of having introduced the Hungarian and 
French processes into Minnesota is due primarily to the 
late Gov. C. C. Washburn of La Crosse, Wis., who was 
greatly aided by his partner at the time, Mr. George H. 
Christian of Minneapolis. 

While I am convinced that the credit of first having 



196 History of Minnesota. 

introduced these valuable inventions into Minnesota be- 
longs to Gov. C. C. Washburn and his partner Mr. 
George H. Christian, I am in justice bound to add that 
Gov. John S. Pillsbury and the late Mr. Charles A. 
Pillsbury, who were large and enterprising millers at 
MinneapoHs, owning the Excelsior Mills, immediately 
after its introduction adopted the process, and put it 
into their mills, and by employing American skilled arti- 
zans and millers to set up and operate their machinery, 
succeeded in securing the first absolutely perfect auto- 
matic mill of the new kind in the country. General 
Washburn, having imported Hungarian millers to start 
and operate his experimental mills, found himself some- 
what handicapped by their inefficiency and sluggishness 
in adopting American ways and customs. 

THE DISCOVERY OP IRON. 

From the earliest days of the territory the people 
had predicted the growth of cities at several points. At 
St. Paul, because it was the head of navigation of the 
Mississippi river; at St. Anthony, on account of its great 
water power; at Superior, as being the head of naviga- 
tion of the Great Lakes system; and at Mankato, from 
its location at the great bend of the Minnesota river. It 
must be remembered that when these prophesies were 
made Minneapolis and Duluth had no existence, and 
Superior was the natural outlet of the St. Louis river 
into Lake Superior, and had its land titles not been so 
complicated when the railroad from St. Paul to the head 
of the lakes was projected, there is no doubt Superior 
would have been the terminus of the road; but it was 
found to be almost impossible to procure title to any 
land in Superior, on account of its having been sold by 
the proprietors in undivided interests to parties all over 



History of Minnesota. 197 

the country, and it was situated in Wisconsin, so the rail- 
road people procured the charter of the company to 
make its northern terminus on the Minnesota side of 
the harbor, where Duluth now stands, and founded that 
town as the terminus of the road. Some years after 
Minnesota Point was cut by a canal at its base, or shore 
end, and the entrance to the harbor changed from its 
natural inlet, around the end of the point, to this canal. 
This improvement has proved to be of vast importance 
to the city of Duluth and to the shipping interests of 
the state, as the natural entrance was difficult and dan- 
gerous. 

Duluth increased in importance from year to year 
by reason of the natural advantages of its situation, as 
the outlet of much of the exports of the state and the 
inlet of a large portion of its imports. As railroads 
progressed, it became connected with the wheat produc- 
ing areas of the state, which resulted in the erection of 
elevators for the shipment of wheat and mills to grind 
it. As nearly all the coal consumed in the state came 
in by the gateway of Duluth, immense coal docks were 
constructed, with all the modern inventions for unload- 
ing it from ships and loading it on cars for distribution. 
Duluth soon attained metropolitan proportions. About 
the year 1870 Mr. George C. Stone became a resident of 
the city, and engaged in business. 

In 1873 Jay Cooke, who' had been an important 
factor in the construction of the Northern Pacific Rail- 
road, failed, which was a serious blow to Duluth. Mr. 
Stone had given his attention largely to the investiga- 
tion of the mineral resources of the Lake Superior re- 
gion in Minnesota, and had become convinced of the 
presence of large beds of iron ore in its northeastern 
portion, now known as the Vermillion Range. When 



198 History of Minnesota. 

he first made known his discovery, the location of the 
ore was so remote from civilization that he found it diffi- 
cult to interest any one in his enterprise. Few shared 
his faith, but undismayed by lack of support, he under- 
took, with steady persistence, the task of securing the 
capital necessary to develop what he was convinced was 
a great natural wealth-producing field. Comparatively 
alone, and with little encouragement at home, he visited 
the money centers of the country, and assiduously la- 
bored to induce men of capital to embark in the enter- 
prise, but found it to be uphill work. 

The first men whose support he secured were 
Charlemagne Tower of Pottsville, Pa., and Samuel A. 
Munson of Utica, N, Y., both men of education and 
great wealth. They became sufficiently interested to 
secure a proper test of the matter. Professor Chester 
of Hamilton College was sent out on two occasions. 
Mr. Munson died, and after the lapse of a few years 
Charlemagne Tower, then a resident of Philadelphia, 
undertook to furnish the necessary funds to make the 
development, which involved the expense of $4,000,000 
in building a railroad eighty miles in length, with docks 
and other operating facilities. 

The railroad was opened in July, 1884, and there 
was shipped that season 62,124 tons of ore, and in 1885 
the shipment reached 225,000 tons. In 1886 304,000 
tons were shipped; in 1887, 394,000 tons; in 1888, 512,- 
000. The output of the iron mines at and about the 
head of the lakes had, by 1898, grown to the enormous 
quantity of 5,871,801 tons. The grade of the ore is the 
highest in the market. This product is one of the most 
important in the state, and seems destined to expand 
indefinitely. 

No better idea of the growth and importance of Du- 



History of Minnesota. 199 

luth, and, in the same connection, the advance of the 
state, since the war, can be presented than by a state- 
ment of a few aggregates of different industries centered 
at the head of the lakes. The most recent record ob- 
tainable is for the year 1898. For example: 

Lumber cut 544,318,000 feet. 

Coal received 2,500,000 tons. 

Number of vessels arrived and cleared 12,150 

Wheat received, and flour as wheat 82,118,129 bushels. 

Other grain 19,428,622 bushels. 

Flour manufactured 2,460,025 barrels. 

Capacity of elevators 24,650,000 bushels. 

Capacity of flour mills per day 22,000 barrels. 

Many other statistics could be given, but the above 
are sufficient to show the unexampled growth of the 
state in that vicinity. 

COMMERCE THROUGH THE ST. MART'S FALLS CANAL. 

Another very interesting and instructing element in 
considering the growth of Minnesota is the commerce 
passing through the St. Mary's Canal, which connects 
Lake Superior with Lakes Huron and Michigan, the 
greater part of which is supplied by Minnesota. No rec- 
ord of the number of sailing vessels or steamers passing 
through the canal was kept until the year 1864. Dur- 
ing that year there were 1,045 sailing vessels, and 366 
steamers. The last report for the year 1898 shows an 
increase of sailing vessels to 4,449 and of steamers to 
12,461. The first record of the net tons of freight pass- 
ing the canal was opened in 1881, which showed an ag- 
gregate of 1,567,741 net tons of all kinds of freight. In 
1808 it had grown to the enormous sum of 21,2^4,664 
tons. These fip-ures, like distances in astronomical cal- 
culations, require a special mental effort to fully compre- 



200 History of Minnssota. 

hend them. An incident occurred in September, 1899, 
in connection with this canal traffic, that assists in un- 
derstanding its immense proportions. By an accident 
to a steamer, the channel of the river was blocked for a 
short time, until she could be removed, during which 
time a procession of waiting steamers was formed forty 
miles in length. 

I have been unable to obtain any reliable figures 
with which to present a contrast between the commerce 
of this canal and that of the Suez, connecting the Medi- 
terranean with the Red Sea, but it is generally estimated 
that the St. Mary's largely exceeds the Suez, although 
the commerce of the world with the Orient and Aus- 
tralia largely passes through the latter. 

AGRICULTURE. 

In the early days of Minnesota its agricultural popu- 
lation was largely centered in the southeastern portion 
of the state. The soil was exceptionally fertile, and 
produced wheat in unusual abundance. The Western 
farmer of early days was a careless cultivator, thinking 
more of the immediate results than permanent preserva- 
tion of his land. Even if he was of the conservative old 
New England stock, the generous soil of the West, the 
freedom from social restraint, and the lessened labors 
of the farm, led him into more happy-go-lucky methods 
than he had been accustomed to in the East. It was 
Mark Twain who once said that if you plant a New Eng- 
land deacon in Texas, you will find him in about a year 
with a game chicken under his arm, riding a mule on 
Sunday to a cock-fight. When farms were opened in 
the southeastern counties of Minnesota it was not an 
unusual thing to be rewarded with a crop of from thirty 
to forty bushels of wheat to the acre. The process of 



History of Minnesota. 201 

cultivation was simple, and required scarcely any capital, 
so it was natural that the first comers should confine 
their efforts to the one product of wheat. They did so, 
regardless of the fact that the best soil will become ex- 
hausted unless reenforced. They became accustomed 
to think that land could always be had for the taking, 
and in twenty or twenty-five years, the goose that laid 
the golden eggs died, and six or eight bushels was all 
they could extract from their lands. About 1877 or 
1878 they practically abandoned the culture of wheat 
and tried corn and hogs. This was an improvement, but 
not a great success. Many of the farmers of the pio- 
neering and roving class sold out, and went west for 
fresh lands. 

DAIRYING. 

About this time the dairy business had become quite 
profitable in Iowa, and the Minnesota farmers turned 
their attention to that branch of industry. Their lands 
were excellent for pasturing purposes and hay raising. 
They began in a small way, with cows and butter-mak- 
ing, but from lack of experience and knowledge of the 
business their progress was slow ; but it improved from 
year to year, and now, in the year 1899, it has become 
one of the most important, successful and profitable in- 
dustries in the state, and the farmers of southern Minne- 
sota constitute the most independent and well-to-do 
class of all our citizens. It was not very long ago when 
a mortgage was an essential feature of a Minnesota farm, 
but they have nearly all been paid off, and the farmer 
of southern Minnesota is found in the ranks of the stock- 
holders and depositors of the banks, and if he has any- 
thing to do with mortgages, he is found on the winning 
side of that dansrerous instrument. A brief statement 



202 History of Minnesota. 

of the facts connected with the dairy business will dem- 
onstrate its magnitude. There are in the state : 

Creameries, about 700 

Creamery patrons 55,000 

Capital invested $3,000,000 

Cows supplying milk 410,000 

Pounds of milk received in 1898 1,400,000,000 

Pounds of butter made, 1898 63,000,000 

Pounds of butter exported 50,000,000 

Gross receipts, 1898 $10,400,000 

Operating expenses, 1898 $1,100,000 

Paid to patrons $8,600,000 

Since 1884 Minnesota butter has been exhibited, in 
competition with similar products from all the states in 
the Union and the butter-making countries of the world, 
at all the princinal fairs and expositions that have been 
held in the United States, and has taken more prizes 
than any other state or country. Its cheese has kept 
pace with its butter. There are in the state, in active 
operation, ninety-four cheese factories. This industry 
is constantly on the increase, and Minnesota is certainly 
destined to surpass every other state in the Union in this 
department of agriculture. 

While this new and valuable branch of industry was 
gradually superseding that of wheat in southern Minne- 
sota, the latter was not being extinguished by any 
means, but simply changing its habitat. About the 
time that wheat culture became unprofitable in southern 
Minnesota, the valley of the Red River of the North be- 
gan to attract attention, and it was at once discovered 
that it was the garden of the world for wheat culture. 
An intelligent and experienced farmer, Mr. Oliver Dal- 
rymple, may be said to have been the pioneer of that 
enterprise. Lands in the valley were cheap, and he 



History o? Minnesota. 203 

succeeded in gaining control of immense tracts, and un- 
limited capital for their development. He opened these 
lands up to wheat culture, and gave to the world a new 
feature in agriculture, which acquired the name of the 
"Bonanza Farm." Some of these farms embraced sixty 
and seventy thousand acres of land, and were divided 
by roads on the section lines. They were supplied with 
all the buildings necessary for the accommodation of the 
army of superintendents and employes that operated 
them; also, granaries and buildings for housing ma- 
chinery, slaughter houses to provision the operatives, 
telephone systems to facilitate communication between 
distant points, and every other auxiliary to perfect an 
economic management. These great farms, of course, 
produced wheat at much lower rates than could the 
lesser ones, but did not materially interfere with wheat 
production by the smaller farmers, as the output of 1898 
of nearly 79,000,000 bushels sufficiently proves. There 
seems to be no need of apprehension about the lands 
of the Red River Valley becoming exhausted, as they 
appear to be as enduring as those in the valley of the 
Nile. 

THE UNIVERSITY OP MINNESOTA AND ITS SCHOOL OP 
AGRICULTURE. 

The University of Minnesota, for the establishment 
of which the United States donated to the state nearly 
100,000 acres of land, and the agricultural college, which 
was similarly endowed, have been consolidated, and both 
have long been in successful operation. The university 
proper opened its doors for the admission of students 
about the year 1869, and has since attained such propor- 
tions as to entitle it to a place among the leading edu- 
cational institutions of the United States, its roll of stu- 



204 History of Minnesota. 

dents for the last college year numbering over three 
thousand. Its curriculum embraces all studies gener- 
ally taught in the colleges of this country, professional 
and otherwise. The state of efficiency and high stand- 
ing of the University of Minnesota is largely attributable 
to the work of its president, Hon. Cyrus Northrop, a 
graduate of Yale, who had attained eminence in the edu- 
tional world before being called to the university. 

The school of agriculture is of the highest impor- 
tance to the welfare of the state, the influence of w^hich 
will soon remove its chief industry from dependence on 
the crude methods of the uneducated Western farmer, 
and place it upon a basis of scientific operation and man- 
agement. Every branch of the art of farming is taught 
in this institution, from a knowledge of the chemical 
properties of the soil and its adaptation to the differ- 
ent vegetable growths, to the scientific breeding and 
economical feeding of stock. Much of the success in 
the dairy branch of farming is the direct result of knowl- 
edge gained at this school. It is well patronized by the 
young men of the state who intend to devote themselves 
to agriculture as a profession. Quite recently a new de- 
partment has been added to the institution, for the in- 
struction of women in all that pertains to the proper 
education of the mistress of the farm. It goes without 
saying that when Minnesota farming is brought under 
the management and control of men and women of scien- 
tific and practical education in that particular line there 
will be a revolution for the better. 

The methods of instruction in this school are not 
merely theoretical. It possesses three experimental 
farms for the practical illustration and application of its 
teachings, the principal one of which is situated at St. 
Anthony Park, and the other two respectively at Crooks- 



History of Minnesota. 205 

ton and Grand Rapids. Work is also done in an ex- 
perimental way in Lyon county, but the state does not 
own the station. 

THE MINNESOTA STATE AGRICULTURAL, SOCIETY. 

This society dates its corporate existence from the 
year 1868, although for many years previous to that 
date, even back to the territorial days, a society had been 
in existence covering the main features of this organiza- 
tion. In 1867 the state recognized this society by ap- 
propriating $1,000 for its encouragement. Its object 
was the promotion of agriculture, horticulture and the 
mechanic arts. The society held annual fairs in differ- 
ent localities in the state, with varying success, until 
1885, when the county of Ramsey offered to convey to 
the State of Minnesota, forever, two hundred acres of 
land adjoining the city limits of St. Paul, for the pur- 
pose of holding annual exhibitions thereon, under the 
management of the society, of all matters pertaining to 
agriculture, human art, industry or skill. The state met 
this munificent donation with the same liberal spirit that 
characterized the offer, and appropriated $100,000 for 
permanent improvements. 

The board of managers proceeded immediately to 
erect the necessary buildings for the first exhibition, but 
found the appropriation inadequate by about $32,000, 
which was readily supplied by public spirited citizens of 
St. Paul and Minneapolis. The state being again ap- 
pealed to in 1887, made a further appropriation of $50,- 
000. 

In 1887 the society was reorganized by act of the 
legislature, and its membership designated and made to 
consist of the following persons : 

First — Three delegates from each of the county 
and district agricultural societies. 



206 History of Minnesota. 

Second — Honorary life members, prominent by rea- 
son of eminent services in agriculture, or in the arts and 
sciences connected therewith, or of long and faithful 
services in the society, or of benefits conferred upon it. 

Third — The presidents ex-officio of the Horticultural 
Society, the Amber Cane Society, the State Dairymen's 
Association, the Southern Minnesota Fair Association, 
the State Poultry Association, the State Bee-Keepers' 
Association, and the president and secretary of the 
Farmer's Alliance. 

Fourth — The president of any society having for its 
object the promotion of any branch of agriculture, 
stock raising or improving, or mechanics relating to 
agriculture. 

By this selection of membership it will be seen that 
the society is composed of the leading agriculturists of 
the state. It holds annual meetings in St. Paul for the 
transaction of its business. The state appropriates 
$4,000 annually to aid in the payment of premiums to ex- 
hibitors. 

The society is in a prosperous condition, and holds 
annual fairs, in the month of September, on its grounds, 
which have been extensively improved. Each year there 
is a marked increase in the magnitude and variety of 
exhibits, and extended interest and attendance. Its 
financial statement for the year 1898 was: Receipts, 
$62,523.70; expenditures, $56,850.83. It has just 
closed its fair for the year 1899, which in extent and per- 
fection of its exhibits and financial results surpassed any 
of its previous attempts. 

There are in the state the following named societies, 
all more or less connected with agriculture, and all in 
flourishing condition : The State Horticultural Society, 
the State Forestry Association, the Dairymen's Asso- 



History of Minnesota. 207 

ciation, the State Butter and Cheese Makers' Associa- 
tion, the State Farmers' Institute, the State Poultry As- 
sociation, the State Bee- Keepers' Association, and per- 
haps others. These associations have done much in the 
promotion of the agricultural interests of the state, and 
by their intelligent guidance will, no doubt, soon make 
it the leading agricultural state in the Union. 

THE SOLDIERS' HOME. 

In the year 1887 it became apparent that the Civil 
War and the Minnesota Indian War had left a large 
number of soldiers of the state in dependent circum- 
stances from old age, wounds and other disabling causes. 
The state, recognizing its obligation to these men, de- 
termined to provide a home for their comfort and main- 
tenance. By an act of the legislature, passed March 2d 
of that year, provision was made for the purchase of a 
site and the erection of suitable buildings for that pur- 
pose. The act provided for bids for the purpose of a 
site, and also authorized the acceptance of donations for 
that purpose. Minneapolis responded handsomely, by 
ofifering fifty-one acres of its beautiful Minnehaha park 
as a donation. It was accepted, and is one of the most 
beautiful and picturesque locations that could have been 
found in the state, being near the Mississippi river and 
the Falls of Minnehaha. The beginning of the home 
was small, one old house being used for the first six 
months, and then, from year to year, handsome and 
commodious brick houses were erected, until the home 
became adequate to accommodate all those who were 
entitled to its hospitality. The conditions of admission 
are: Residence in Minnesota, service in the Mexican 
War, or in some Minnesota organization in the Civil or 
Indian Wars, honorable discharge, and indigent circum- 



208 History of Minnesota. 

stances. As there are no accommodations for the wives 
and families of the old soldiers and sailors at the home, 
provision is made for relief being furnished to married 
soldiers at their own homes, so as to prevent the separa- 
tion of families. There were in the home at the date of 
the last report (August 3, 1899) 362 beneficiaries. The 
home is conducted by a board of trustees, consisting of 
seven members, whose election is so arranged that they 
serve for six years. This beneficent establishment is to 
be commended as an evidence of the generosity and pa- 
triotism of the state. 

OTHER STATE INSTITUTIONS. 

I have been somewhat explicit in mentioning the in- 
stitutions of the state which are connected with its 
prominent and permanent industry — agriculture ; but it 
must not be supposed that it has not provided for the 
many other interests that require regulation and control 
to constitute a perfectly organized state government. 
There are, besides those I have mentioned, four normal 
schools (located at Winona, Mankato, St. Cloud and 
Moorhead), all devoted to the education of teachers, 
state high and graded schools scattered all over the 
state, a state board of corrections and charities, and 
state hospitals for the insane (of which there are three), 
located as follows : One at St. Peter, one at Rochester, 
and one at Fergus Falls, and a fourth in contemplation. 
According to the latest report, these hospitals contained 
3,302 patients, as follows: St. Peter, 1,045 ^ Rochester, 
1,196; and Fergus Falls, 1,061. For a small, new state, 
this showing would seem alarming, and indicate that a 
very large percentage of the population was insane, and 
that the rest were preparing to become so. The truth 
is that a case of insanity originating in Minnesota is 



History of Minnesota. 209 

quite as exceptional and rare as other diseases, and can 
usually be accounted for by some self-abuse of the pa- 
tient. The population is drawn from such diverse 
sources, and the intermarriages are crossed upon so 
many dififerent nationalities that hereditary insanity 
ought to be almost unknown. The climate and the gen- 
eral pursuits of the people all militate against the preva- 
lence of the malady. 

The explanation of the existence of the numerous 
cases is, as I am informed by the very highest authority 
on the subject, that in nearly all European countries it 
has become the habit of families afflicted with insanity 
to export their unfortunates to America as soon as any 
symptoms appear, and thus provide for them for the 
rest of their lives. I cannot say that the governments 
whence these people emigrate participate in the fraud, 
but it is not reasonable to suppose that they would in- 
terpose any serious objections even should they have 
knowledge of the fact. A comparison of the nationali- 
ties of the patients found in these hospitals with the 
American element, given by the census of the state, 
proves my statement, and an inquiry of the medical au- 
thorities of these institutions will place the question be- 
yond doubt. 

MINNESOTA INSTITUTES FOR DEFECTIVES. 

There are also state schools for the deaf, dumb, blind, 
and the feeble-minded. These institutions are all lo- 
cated at Faribault, in Rice county, and each has a very 
handsome, commodious, and in every way suitable build- 
ing, where these unfortunates are instructed in every 
branch of learning and industry of which they are capa- 
ble. During the last two years there have been enrolled 
275 deaf and dumb children in the school especially de- 
14 



210 History OF Minnesota. 

voted to them, where they receive the best education 
that science and experience can provide. This school 
has already been instrumental in preparing- hundreds of 
deaf and mute youth to be useful and intelligent citizens 
of the state, and year by year a few are graduated, well 
prepared to take their places beside the hearing and 
speaking youth who' leave the public schools. About 
one-third of the time is devoted to manual training. 

The school for the blind is entirely separate from 
that of the deaf and dumb, and is equipped with all the 
appliances of a modern special school of this character. 
It makes a specialty of musical instruction and industrial 
training, such as broom-making, hammock weaving, 
bead work and sewing-. The course of study embraces 
a period of seven years, beginning with the kindergar- 
ten, and ending with the ordinary studies of Eng-lish 
classes in the high schools. The school is free to all 
blind children in the state between the ages of eight and 
twenty-six, to whom board, care and tuition are fur- 
nished. The average number of pupils at this school for 
the past few years is between seventy and one hundred. 

There is also a 

STATE SCHOOL FOR DEPENDENT AND NEGLECTED 
CHILDREN. 

This school is located at Owatonna, in Steele county, 
and is one of the most valuable of all the many estab- 
lishments which the state has provided for the encour- 
agement of good citizenship. There are eleven build- 
ings, which comprise all the agencies that tend to make 
abandoned children useful citizens and rescue them from 
a life of vagrancy and crime. 

The object of this institution is to provide a tempo- 
rary home and school for the dependent and neglected 



History of Minnesota. 211 

children of the state. No child in Minnesota need go 
without a home if the of^cers of the several counties do 
their duty. There is not a semblance of any degrading 
or criminal feature in the manner of obtaining admit- 
tance to this school. Under the law, it is the duty of 
every county commissioner, when he finds any child de- 
pendent, or in danger of becoming so, to take steps to 
send him to this school. The process of admission wisely 
guards against the separation of parent and child, but 
keeps in view the ultimate good of the latter. Once ad- 
mitted it becomes the child of the state, all other au- 
thority over it being canceled. Every child old enough 
to work has some fitting task assigned to it, to the end 
of training it mentally, morally and physically for useful 
citizenship. They are sent from the school into famili- 
lies wanting them, but this does not deprive them of the 
watchful care of the state, which, through its agents, 
visits them in their adopted homes, and sees that they 
are well cared for. 

On Jan. i, 1899, there had been received into the 
school, from seventy-two counties, 1,824 children, of 
whom 1,131 were boys and 693 were girls. Of these 
233 were then in the school, the others having been 
placed in good homes. It is known that eighty-three 
per cent of these children develope into young men and 
women of good character. 

THE MINNESOTA STATE TRAINING SCHOOL. 

This institution was formerly "The Minnesota State 
Reform School," and was located in St. Paul. In 1895 the 
legislature changed its name to "The Minnesota State 
Training School for Boys and Girls," and its location 
has been changed to Red Wing, in the county of Good- 
hue. This institution has to do with criminals, and the 



212 History op Minnesota. 

statute provides, "That whenever an infant over the age 
of eight years and under the age of sixteen years shall 
have been duly convicted of any crime punishable with 
imprisonment, except the crime of murder, or shall be 
convicted of vagrancy or of incorrigibly vicious con- 
duct," the sentence shall be to the guardianship of the 
board of managers of this school. Here they are given 
a good common school education and instructed in the 
trades of cabinet making, carpenter work, tailoring, 
shoemaking, blacksmithing, printing, farming, garden- 
ing, etc. 

The inmates are furloughed under proper condi- 
tions, but the state watches over them through an 
agent, who provides homes for the homeless and em- 
ployment for those who need help. 

MINNESOTA STATE REFORMATORY. 

This institution was established in 1887, ^"*i is lo- 
cated at St. Cloud. It is designed as an intermediate 
correctional school between the training school and the 
state prison, the object being to provide a place for 
young men and boys from sixteen to thirty years of age, 
never before convicted of crime, where they may, under 
as favorable circumstances as possible, by discipline and 
education best adapted to that end, form such habits 
and character as will prevent their continuing in crime, 
fit them for self-support, and accomplish their reforma- 
tion. 

The law provides for an indeterminate sentence, al- 
lowing of parole when earned by continuous good con- 
duct, and final release when reformation is strongly 
probable. 

Honest labor is required every day of each inmate. 
Almost every occupation and employment is carried on 



History of Minnesota. 213 

in a practical way, and each inmate is learning to fill 
some honest place and to do useful work. The work- 
ings of this reformatory have been very satisfactory, and 
have undoubtedly rescued many young people from a 
life of crime. 

THE MINNESOTA STATE PRISON. 

All prisons where criminals are sent to work out sen- 
tences for crimes committed are alike on general princi- 
ples, and the Minnesota prison, situated at Stillwater, 
diflfers only in the fact that it combines in its adminis- 
tration all the modern discoveries of sociological re- 
search which tend to ameliorate the condition of the 
prisoner and fit him for the duties of good citizenship 
when discharged. 

The plant is extensive and thorough. The labor of 
the prisoners is now devoted to three industries : the 
manufacture of binding twine, high school scientific ap- 
paratus on state account, and the manufacture of boots 
and shoes. 

The discipline and management of the prison are the 
best. The most advanced principles of penology are in 
force. Sentences are reduced by good conduct, and 
everything is done to reform as well as punish the pris- 
oner. A newspaper is published by the convicts, and a 
library of five thousand volumes is furnished for their 
mental improvement. Nothing known to modern so- 
cial and penal science is omitted from the management. 

THE MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 

This society, as I have said before in speaking of the 
work of the first territorial legislature, was organized by 
that body in 1849, and has been of incalculable value to 
the state. The officers of the society are a president. 



214 History of Minnesota. 

two vice presidents, a treasurer and a secretary, and it is 
governed by an executive council of thirty-six members, 
which embraces the governor, Heutenant governor, sec- 
retary, auditor, treasurer of state and attorney general 
as ex-ofScio members. The state makes an annual ap- 
propriation in aid of the society. The executive council 
meets once a month for the transaction of its business, 
at which meetings, and at its annual meetings, interest- 
ing papers and essays are delivered on historical sub- 
jects, which are preserved, and with other matter are 
published in handsomely bound volumes when sufficient 
material is accumulated. 

The society, in the manner prescribed in its by-laws, 
may establish the following separate departments : 
' Department of Annals and General History of Min- 
nesota. 

Department of Geology of Minnesota. 

Department of Zoology of Minnesota. 

Department of Botany of Minnesota. 

Department of Meteorology of Minnesota. 

Department of Northwestern Geography and Chart- 
ology. 

Department of American History. 

Department of Oriental History. 

Department of European History. 

Department of Genealogy and Heraldry. 

Department of Ethnology and Anthropology. 

It has corresponding members all over the world, 
and official connections with nearly all the historical and 
learned societies of Europe and America, with which it 
interchanges publications. It has a membership of 142 
life and 2)7 annual members. It may receive donations 
from any source. 



History of Minnesota. 215 

Its property, real and personal, is exempt from taxa- 
tion of any kind. It has accumulated a splendid library 
of about 63,000 volumes of all kinds of historical, genea- 
logical, scientific and general knowledge, all of which 
are open and free to the public. It also has a gallery of 
pictures of historical scenes in Minnesota, and portraits 
of men and women who have been prominent in, or who 
have contributed to, the history or growth of the state, 
together with an extensive museum of Indian and other 
curiosities having some relation to Minnesota. One of 
its most valuable attractions is a newspaper department, 
in which are complete files of all newspapers which have 
been and are published in the state, except a very few 
unimportant ones. The number of our state papers, 
daily, weekly and monthly, received at the beginning of 
the year 1899 is 421. These papers are all bound in 
substantial volumes, for preservation for the use of fu- 
ture generations. On Sept. i, 1899, the society had on 
the shelves of its fire-proof vault 4,250 of these volumes. 
Its rooms are in the capitol at St. Paul, and are entirely 
inadequate for its accommodation, but ample space has 
been allowed it in the new capitol now in the course of 
construction. 

STATE INSTITUTIONS MISCELLANEOUS IN THEIR 
CHARACTER. 

Besides the general state boards and associations 
having special reference to the leading products of the 
state, and those of a reformatory and educational char- 
acter, there are many others, regulating business of va- 
rious kinds among the inhabitants, all of which are im- 
portant in their special spheres, but to name them is all 
I can say about them in my limited space. Their num- 
ber and the subjects which they regulate shows the care 



216 History of Minnesota. 

with which the state watches over the welfare of its citi- 
zens. I present the following catalogue of the state de- 
partments : 

The Insurance Commission. 

The Public Examiner. 

The Dairy Food Commission. 

The Bureau of Labor. 

The Board of Railroad and Warehouse Commission- 
ers. 

The Board of Game and Fish Commissioners. 

The State Law Library. 

The State Department of Oil Inspection. 

The State Horticultural Society. 

The State Forestry Association. 

The Minnesota Dairyman's Association. 

The State Butter and Cheese Maker's Association. 

The State Farmer's Institutes. 

The Red River Valley Drainage Commission. 

The State Drainage Commission, 

The Commission of Statistics. 

The State Board of Health and Vital Statistics. 

The State Board of Medical Examiners. 

The State Board of Pharmacy. 

The State Board of Dental Examiners. 

The State Board of Examiners in Law. 

The Bureau of Public Printing. 

The Minnesota Society for the Prevention of Cru- 
elty. 

The Geological and Natural History Survey. 

The State Board of Equalization. 

Surveyors of Logs and Lumber. 

The Board of Pardons. 

The State Board of Arbitration and Conciliation. • 

The State Board of Investment. 



History of Minnesota. 217 

The State Board of Examiners of Barbers. 

The State Board of Examiners of Practical Plumb- 
ing. 

The Horseshoers' Board of Examiners. 

The Inspection of Steam Boilers. 

It is difficult to conceive of any other subject over 
which the state could assume jurisdiction, and the great 
number which are embraced already within its super- 
vision would lead one who is not in touch with our state 
administration to believe that state paternalism domi- 
nated the business industries of the people; but nothing 
is further from the truth, and no state in the Union is 
freer from governmental interference in the ordinary 
channels of industry than Minnesota. 

STATE FINANCES. 

Since the settlement of the debt created by the old 
railroad bonds that I have heretofore mentioned, the 
finances of the state have always been in excellent condi- 
tion. When the receipts of an individual or a state ex- 
ceed expenditures the situation is both satisfactory and 
safe. At the last report, up to July 31, 1898, the re- 
ceipts of the state from all sources were $5,429,240.32, 
and the expenditures were $5,208,942.05, leaving a bal- 
ance on the right side of the ledger of $220,298.27. To 
the receipts must be added the balance in the treasury 
at the beginning of the year of $2,054,314.26, which left 
in the treasury on July 31, 1898, the large sum of $2,- 
184,612.53. 

The original indebtedness arising from the adjust- 
ment of the state railroad bonds was $1,659,000; other 
bonds, $300,000.00. This indebtedness has been re- 
duced by payments to the sum of $1,475,647.22, on July 
31, 1898, the date of the last report. If this debt had 



218 History of Minnesota. 

matured, it could at once be paid by the funds on hand, 
leaving the state entirely free from all indebtedness. 

The taxable property of the state by last assessment, 
in 1897, including real and personal property, was $570,- 
598,813. 

THE MONETARY AND BUSINESS FLURRY OF 1873 AND PANIC 

OF 1S93. 

It has been customary in the United States to expect a 
disturbance in monetary and business affairs about once 
in every twenty years, and the expectation has not been 
disappointed since the panic of 1837. I have described 
the effect of the panic of 1857 on the Territory and State 
of Minnesota, and the difficulties of recuperating from 
the shock. The next similar event was not due until 1877, 
but there is always some special disaster to precipitate 
such occurrences. In 1857 it was the failure of the Ohio 
Life Insurance and Trust Company, and in 1873 it was 
the failure of Jay Cooke & Co., of Philadelphia. This 
house had been very prominent in placing the bonds of 
the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, and in the con- 
struction of the road, and was relied upon by many 
classes of people to invest their money for them, and 
when their failure was announced, its effect in the East 
was disastrous, but here in Minnesota it only affected us 
in a secondary or indirect way, in stopping railroad 
building and creating general alarm in business circles. 
We had been diligently at work for sixteen years, en- 
deavoring to recuperate from the disaster of 1857, and 
had to a great extent succeeded. Real estate had par- 
tially revived, but had not reached the boom feature, 
and the state was on a sound financial basis. Fortu- 
nately we had not recovered sufficiently to become in- 
vestors in railroad securities to anv great extent, and 



History of Minnesota. 219 

land speculation had not reached its usual twenty years' 
mark. We had, also, on hand a local affliction, in the 
presence of grasshoppers, so that, although it disturbed 
business generally, it did not succeed in producing 
bankruptcy, and we soon shook it off. 

This periodical financial disturbance has been attrib- 
uted to various causes. From the regularity of its ap- 
pearance, it must be the result of some impelHng force 
of a generally similar character. My opinion is, that the 
period of twenty years being the average time of man's 
active business Hfe, the actors of the second period have 
not the benefit of the experience gained by those of the 
previous one, and they repeat the same errors that pro- 
duced the former disasters; but be that as it may, when 
the period extending from 1873 to 1893 had passed, the 
same result had occurred, and with quite as much force 
as any of its predecessors. Land speculation had reach- 
ed the point of absolute insanity. Everybody thought 
he could become rich if he only bought. Values, al- 
ready ridiculously expanded, continued to increase with 
every sale. Anyone who had money enough to pay 
down a small amount as earnest and intelligence enough 
to sign a note and mortgage for the balance of the pur- 
chase price became purchasers to the limit of their cred- 
it. When a party whose credit was questioned needed 
an indorser, he found many requiring the same assist- 
ance who were ready to swap indorsements with him. 
Everyone became deeply in debt. The country was 
flooded with paper, which was secured on the impossi- 
bility of values continuing. The banks became loaded 
with alleged securities, and when the bubble was strain- 
ed to the bursting point, and some one of supposed 
financial soundness was compelled to succumb to the 
pressure, the veil was lifted, which opened the eyes of 



220 History of Minnesota. 

the community and produced a rush for safety, which in- 
duced, and was necessarily followed, by a general col- 
lapse. In 1888 and 1889 banks suspended, money dis- 
appeared, and in 1893, i^ the expressive language of 
the West, everybody who was in debt, and all stock- 
holders and depositors in defunct banks "went broke." 
Had the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis been cap- 
tured by an enemy and a ransom of ten million dollars 
been demanded from each, paid and carried away, the 
consequences upon business would not have been worse. 
It was much the same in all the large cities of the state, 
as land speculation was more active there than in the 
rural districts, and no matter what may happen, some 
value always remains to farm lands, while under such a 
collapse as that of 1893 the greater part of city property 
becomes utterly valueless for the present, and much of 
it forever. 

There was, however, a great difiference between the 
consequences of 1893 and the previous disasters of 1857 
and 1873. Although the disturbance was great, we 
were better prepared to meet it. Population had in- 
creased immensely. The area of civilization and produc- 
tion had kept pace with immigration. Manufactures of 
many kinds had been introduced, and although we were 
seriously wounded, our hopes of recovery had solid 
grounds to rest upon, and we were not dismayed. The 
only remedy in such cases — industry and economy — 
was applied, through necessity if not from choice, and 
recovery has been slowly progressing up to the present 
time (1900), when we may be classed as convalescent. 

Will this experience serve to prevent a recurrence of 
the folHes of the past? Most assuredly not. Those 
who have reaped wisdom will have surrendered the spec- 
ulative arena to others before the financial cycle rolls 



History of Minnesota. 221 

around, and history will repeat itself, notwithstanding 
the state never had a better future outlook than at pres- 
ent. It does not follow that the panic due about 19 13 
will be caused by over speculation in real estate. It is 
more likely to be produced by the excessive and fraudu- 
lent capitalization of all sorts of corporations, called 
trusts, which will, of course, succumb to the first serious 
blow. 

With the exception of the events I have narrated, in- 
cluding the financial troubles of 1873 and 1893, nothing 
of special importance to the state has happened, except 
a few occurrences of minor moment. 

MINOR HAPPENINGS. 

Sept. 5, 1878, President Hayes made a short visit to 
the state, and delivered an address at the state agri- 
cultural fair. 

On the 7th of September, 1876, an organized gang 
of bandits, which had been terrorizing the State of Mis- 
souri and surrounding states with impunity, entered this 
state, and attacked a bank in the town of Northfield, in 
Rice county, with the intent of looting it. The cashier, 
Mr. Haywood, resisted, and they shot him dead. The 
people of the town, hearing of the raid, turned out, and 
opened fire on the robbers, who fled, with the loss of 
one killed. In their flight they killed a Swede before 
they got out of the town. The people of the counties 
through which their flight led them, turned out, and be- 
fore any of them passed the border of the state, two 
more of them were killed and three captured. Two es- 
caped. The captured were three brothers named 
Younger, and those who escaped were supposed to be 
the notorious James Brothers of Missouri. The three 
Younger Brothers pleaded guilty to a charge of murder, 



222 History of Minnesota. 

and on account of a peculiarity in the law, that only al- 
lowed the death sentence to be imposed by a jury, they 
were all sentenced to imprisonment for life. One of 
them has since died, and the other two remain in prison. 
The manner in which this raid was handled by our 
citizens was of immense value to the state, as it proved 
a warning to all such desperadoes that Minnesota was a 
bad field for their operations, and we have had no more 
trouble from that class of offenders. 

In 1877 the constitution was amended by providing 
for biennial, instead of annual, sessions of the legislature. 
On May 2, 1878, a very singular and disastrous event 
took place at Minneapolis. Three large flouring mills 
were blown up by a dust explosion, and eighteen men 
killed. It was inexplicable for a time, but it was after- 
wards discovered that such explosions had occurred be- 
fore, and prompt measures were taken to prevent a repe- 
tition of the trouble. 

On the 15th day of November, 1880, a portion of 
the large insane asylum at St. Peter was destroyed by 
fire, and eighteen of the inmates were burned, others 
dying of injuries received. The pecuniary loss amounted 
to $150,000. 

On the first day of March, 1881, the old capitol 
burned, while the legislature was in session. That body 
moved their sittings to the St. Paul market house, which 
had just been finished, where they remained until the 
present capitol building was erected upon the site of the 
one destroyed. 

On the twenty-fifth day of January, 1884, the state 
prison at Stillwater was partially burned. 

On the fourteenth day of September, 1886, St. Cloud 
and Sauk Rapids were struck by a cyclone. Scores of 



History op Minnesota. 223 

buildings were destroyed, and about seventy of the in- 
habitants killed. 

In the year 1889 the Australian system of voting- at 
elections was introduced in cities of ten thousand in- 
habitants and over, and in 1892 the system was made 
general throughout the state. 

On the seventh day of April, 1893, the legislature 
passed an act for the building of a new state capitol in 
the city of St. Paul, and appointed commissioners to 
carry out the object. They selected an eligible and con- 
spicuous site between University avenue, Cedar and 
Wabasha streets, near the head of Wabasha. They 
adopted for the materials which were to enter into it — 
granite for the lower and Georgia white marble for the 
upper stories. The whole cost was not to exceed $2,- 
000,000. The corner stone of the building was laid on 
the twenty-seventh day of July, 1898, with appropriate 
and very imposing ceremonies, in the presence of an 
immense throng of citizens from all parts of the state. 
Senator Davis delivered the oration, and ex-Gov. Alex- 
ander Ramsey laid the corner stone. The building has 
reached the base of the dome, and will be a very beauti- 
ful and serviceable structure. 

On Sept. I, 1894, there was a most extensive and 
disastrous fire in Pine county. Four hundred square 
miles of territory were burned over by a forest fire, 
the towns of Hinckley and Sandstone were totally de- 
stroyed, and four hundred people burned. The money 
loss was estimated at $1,000,000. This disaster was ex- 
actly what was needed to awaken the people of the state 
to the necessity of providing means for the prevention of 
forest and prairie fires and the preservation of our for- 
ests. Shortly after the Hinckley fire a state convention 
was held at the Commercial Club in St. Paul, to devise 



224 History of Minnesota. 

legislation to accomplish this desirable end, which re- 
sulted in the passage of an act, at the session of the legis- 
lature in 1895, entitled, "An act for the preservation of 
forests of this state, and for the prevention and sup- 
pression of forest and prairie fires." Under this act the 
state auditor was made the forest commissioner of the 
state, with authority to appoint a chief fire warden. The 
supervisors of towns, mayors of cities and presidents of 
village councils are made fire wardens of their respective 
local jurisdictions, and the machinery for the prevention 
of fires is put in motion that is of immense value to the 
state. The forest commissioner appointed Gen. C. C. 
Andrews chief fire warden, one of the best equipped men 
in the state for the position, and no serious trouble has 
since occurred in the way of fires. 

On the ninth day of February, 1887, the Minnesota 
Historical Society passed a resolution, declaring that 
the pretenses made by Capt, Willard Glazier to having 
been the discoverer of the source of the Mississippi river 
were false, and very little has been heard from him since. 

On the tenth day of October, 1887, President Cleve- 
land visited the state, and made a short stay. 

This enumeration of passing events looks a little 
like a catalogue of disasters (except the building of the 
new capitol and the visits of Presidents Hayes and 
Cleveland), but it must be remembered that Minnesota 
is such an empire in itself, that such happenings scarcely 
produce a ripple on the surface of its steady and continu- 
ous progress. It is because these events can be particu- 
larized and described that they assume proportions be- 
yond their real importance, but when compared with the 
colossal advances made by the state during the period 
covering them, they dwindle into mere points of educa- 
tional experience, to be guarded against in the future, 



History of Minnesota. 225 

while the many blessings showered upon the state, con- 
sisting of the health and wealth imparting sunshine, the 
refreshing and fructifying rains and dews of heaven, 
which, like the smiles of providence and the life-sustain- 
ing air that surrounds us, are too intangible and in- 
definable for more than thankful recognition. Our trib- 
ulations were really blessings in disguise. The bold in- 
vasion of the robbers proved our courage; the storms 
and fires proved our generosity to the distressed, and 
taught us lessons in the wisdom of prevention. Minne- 
sota has as much to be thankful for and as little to regret 
as any state in the West, and our troubles only prove 
that we have a very robust vitality, difficult to perma- 
nently impair. 

THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 

For many years there has been a growing sentiment 
in the United States that Spain was governing Cuba and 
her other West Indian colonies in an oppressive and un- 
just manner, and the desire to interfere in behalf of the 
Cuban people received a good deal of encouragement, 
and its general expression succeeded in creating 
very strained relations between Spain and the United 
States. It is a well known fact that the Spanish people, 
from the north line of Mexico to Cape Horn, as well as 
the inhabitants of the Spanish Islands, hate the Ameri- 
cans most heartily. Why, I do not know; except that 
our social, governmental and religious habits, customs 
and beliefs are radically different from their own; but 
that such is the case no one doubts who knows these 
people. In 1897 some effort at conciliation was made, 
and Spain sent one of her warships to New York on a 
friendly visit; but she did not stay long, and got away 
as soon as she decently could. The United States sent 

15 



226 History of Minnesota. 

the battleship Maine to Havana on the same friendly 
mission, where she was officially conveyed to her anchor- 
age. She had been there but a short time when she was 
blown up, on Feb. 15, 1898, and 260 American seamen 
murdered. There was an official investigation to de- 
termine the cause of the explosion, but it found no so- 
lution of the disaster. Various theories were advanced of 
internal spontaneous explosion, but no one was misled. 
The general sentiment of Americans was that the Span- 
ish in Cuba deliberately exploded a submarine torpedo 
under her, to accomplish the result that followed. Pre- 
vious to this cowardly act there was much difference of 
opinion among the people of all sections of the country 
as to the propriety of declaring war against Spain, but 
public sentiment was at once unified in favor of war on 
the announcement of this outrage. On the 25th of 
April, 1898, congress passed an act declaring that war 
against Spain had existed since the 21st of the same 
month. A requisition was made on Minnesota for its 
quota of troops immediately after war was declared, and 
late in the afternoon of the twenty-eighth day of April 
the governor issued an order to the adjutant general to 
assemble the state troops at St. Paul. The adjutant gen- 
eral, on the 29th, issued the following order, by tele- 
graph, to the different commands : 

"The First, Second and Third Regiments of infantr)'- 
are hereby ordered to report at St. Paul on Friday morn- 
ing, April 29, 1898, not later than eleven o'clock, with 
one day's cooked rations in their haversacks." 

The order was promptly obeyed, and all the field, 
staff and company officers, with their commands, re- 
ported before the time appointed, and on the afternoon 
of that day went into camp at the state fair grounds, 
which was named Camp Ramsey. Such promptness on 



History of Minnesota. 227 

the part of the state mihtia was remarkable, but it will be 
seen that they had been prepared for the order of the ad- 
jutant general before its final issue, who had anticipated 
the declaration of war. 

On April i8th he had issued the following order: 

"The commanding officers of the infantry companies 
and artillery batteries composing the national guard will 
immediately take steps to recruit their commands up to 
one hundred men each. All recruits above the maxi- 
mum peace footing of seventy-six men will be carried 
upon the muster roll as provisional recruits, to be dis- 
charged in case their services are not needed for field 
service." 

On the 25th of April the adjutant general issued the 
following order : 

"In obedience to orders this day received from the 
honorable secretary of war, calling upon the State of 
Minnesota for three regiments of infantry as volunteers 
of the United States, to serve two years or less, and as 
the three national guard regiments have signified their 
desire of entering the service of the United States as vol- 
unteers, the First, Second, and Third Regiments of In- 
fantry of the national guard of the State of Minnesota 
will immediately make preparations to report to these 
headquarters upon receipt of telegraphic orders, which 
will be issued later." 

This commendable action on the part of our military 
authorities resulted in the Minnesota troops being the 
first to be mustered into the service of the United States 
in the war with Spain, thus repeating the proud distinc- 
tion gained by the state in 1861, when Minnesota was 
the first state to offer troops for the defense of the Union 
in the Civil War. It is a curious as well as interesting 
coincidence, that the First Minnesota Regiment for the 



228 History of Minnesota. 

Civil War was mustered in on April 29, 1861, and the 
first three regiments for the Spanish War were mobilized 
at St. Paul on April 29, 1898. 

The mustering in of the three regiments was com- 
pleted on the eighth day of May, 1898, and they were 
designated as the Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth 
Regiments of Infantry, Minnesota Volunteers. This 
classification was made because the state had furnished 
eleven full regiments of infantry for the Civil War, and it 
was decided to number them consecutively. 

The Twelfth and Fourteenth left Camp Ramsey on 
the sixteenth day of May for Camp George H. Thomas 
in Georgia, and the Thirteenth departed for San Fran- 
cisco on the same day. The Thirteenth was afterwards 
ordered to Manila. The others did not leave the coun- 
try, and were subsequently mustered out. The Thir- 
teenth did gallant service in the Philippines, in many 
battles, was mustered out in San Francisco, and, on Oct. 
12, 1899, returned to our state. A warm welcome was 
given it in Minnesota, where it will always be regarded 
with the same pride and affection formerly bestowed 
upon the old First, of patriotic memory. 

President McKinley and several of his cabinet ar- 
rived in St. Paul at the time of the arrival of the 
Thirteenth, and assisted in welcoming them to their 
homes. 

There was a second call for troops, under which the 
Fifteenth Regiment was mustered in, but was not called 
upon for active duty of any kind. It is to be hoped that 
the war may be ended without the need of more volun- 
teers from Minnesota, but should another call be made 
on our people no doubt can be entertained of their 
prompt response. Having given the part taken in the 
war against Spain and the Philippines by Minnesota, its 



History of Minnesota. 229 

further prosecution against the latter becomes purely a 
federal matter, unless we shall be called into it in the 
future. 

When Spain sued for peace, soon after the destruc- 
tion of her second fleet off Santiago de Cuba, a commis- 
sion to negotiate a treaty of peace with her was appoint- 
ed by the president, and Minnesota was honored by the 
selection of its senior senator, Hon. Cushman K. Davis, 
chairman of the senate committee on foreign relations, 
as one of its members. The commission consisted of 
William R. Day, secretary of state of the United States, 
Cushman K. Davis of Minnesota, William P. Frye of 
Maine, George Gray of Delaware, and Whitelaw Reid 
of New York. It met at Paris, and concluded its labors 
the tenth day of December, 1898, when the treaty was 
signed by the commissioners of both contracting parties. 
It is hardly necessary to add that the influence exerted 
on the result by the distinguished and learned represen- 
tative from Minnesota was controlling. 

THE INDIAN BATTLE OF LEECH LAKE. 

Early in October, 1898, there was an Indian battle 
fought at Leech lake, in this state, the magnitude of the 
result of which gives it a place in the history of Minne- 
sota, although it was strictly a matter of United States 
cognizance and jurisdiction. In Cass county there is a 
Chippewa Indian reservation, and like all other Indian 
reservations, there are to be found there turbulent peo- 
ple, both white and red. There is a large island out in 
Leech lake, called Bear island, which is inhabited by the 
Indians. On Oct. i, 1897, one Indian shot another on 
this island. A prominent member of the tribe named 
Pug-on-a-ke-shig was present, and witnessed the shoot- 
ing. An indictment was found in the United States 



230 History op Minnesota. 

district court against the Indian who did the shooting-, 
but before any trial could be had the matter was settled 
among the Indians in their own way, and they thought 
that was the last of it. A subpoena was issued for Pug- 
on-a-ke-shig and a deputy marshal served it. He disre- 
garded the subpoena. An attachment was then issued 
to arrest him and bring him into court. A deputy 
United States marshal tried to serve it, and was resisted 
by the Indian and his friends on three different occa- 
sions, and once when the Indian was arrested he was 
rescued from the custody of the marshal. Warrants 
were then issued for the arrest of twenty-one of the res- 
cuers. This was in the latter part of August, 1898. 
Troops were asked for to aid the marshal in making his 
arrests, and a lieutenant and twenty men were sent 
from Fort Snelling for that purpose. This was simply 
a repetition of the many mistakes made by the military 
authorities in such matters. If troops were necessary 
for any purpose, twenty men were simply useless, and 
worse than none, and when the time came for the appli- 
cation of military force would, of course, have been an- 
nihilated. The United States marshal, with a squad of 
deputies, accompanied the troops. It soon became ap- 
parent that there would be trouble before the Indians 
could be brought to terms, and General Bacon, the of- 
ficer in command of the Department of Dakota, with 
headquarters at St. Paul, ordered Major Wilkinson of 
Company "E," of the Third Regiment of United States 
Infantry, stationed at Fort Snelling, with his company 
of eighty men, to the scene of the troubles. General 
Bacon accompanied these troops as far as Walker, on 
the west bank of Leech lake, more in the capacity of an 
observer of events and to gain proper knowledge of the 
situation than as part of the force. On the 5th of Octo- 



History of Minnesota. 231 

ber, 1898, the whole force left Walker in boats for a place 
on the east bank of the lake, called Sugar Point, where 
there was a clearing of several acres and a log house, oc- 
cupied by Pug-on-a-ke-shig. They were accompanied 
by R. T. O'Connor, the United States marshal of Min- 
nesota, and several of his deputies, among whom was 
Col. Timothy J. Sheehan, who knew the Indians who 
were subject to arrest. This oflticer was the same man 
who, as Lieutenant Sheehan, had so successfully com- 
manded the forces at Fort Ridgely, during the Indian 
War of 1862, since when he had fought his way through 
the Civil War with distinction. When the command 
landed, only a few squaws and Indians were visible. The 
deputy marshals landed, and with the interpreters went 
at once to the house, and while there discovered an In- 
dian whom Colonel Sheehan recognized as one for 
whom a warrant was out, and immediately attempted to 
arrest and handcuff him. The Indian resisted vigorous- 
ly, and it w^as only with the aid of three or four soldiers 
that they succeeded in arresting him. He was put on 
board of the boat. The whole force then skirmished 
through the timber in search of Indians, but found none, 
and about noon returned to the clearing and were or- 
dered to stack arms preparatory to getting dinner. They 
had scouted the surrounding country and had seen no 
Indians or signs of Indians, and did not believe there 
were any in the vicinity, when in fact the Indians had 
carefully watched their every movement, and were close 
to their trail, waiting for the most advantageous mo- 
ment to strike. It was the same tactics which the In- 
dians had so often adopted with much success in their 
warfare with the whites. While stacking arms, a new 
recruit allowed his gun to fall to the ground, and it was 
discharged accidentally. The Indians who were silently 



232 History of Minnesota. 

awaiting their opportunity, supposing it was the signal 
of attack, opened fire on the troops, and a vicious bat- 
tle began. The soldiers seized their arms, and returned 
the fire as best they could, directing it at the points 
whence came the shots from the invisible enemy, con- 
cealed in the dense thicket. The battle raged for sev- 
eral hours. General Bacon, with a gun in his hands, 
was everywhere, encouraging the men. Major Wilkin- 
son, as cool as if he had been in a drawing room, cheered 
his men on, but was thrice wounded, the last hit proving 
fatal. Colonel Sheehan instinctively entered the fight, 
and took charge of the right wing of the line, charging" 
the enemy with a few followers and keeping up a rapid 
fire. The colonel was hit three times, two bullets pass- 
ing through his clothes, grazing the skin, without seri- 
ous injury, and one cutting a painful but not dangerous 
wound across his stomach. The result of the fight was 
six killed and nine wounded on the part of the troops. 
One of the Indian police was also killed, and seven citi- 
zens wounded, some seriously. No estimate has ever 
been satisfactorily obtained of the loss of the enemy. 
The most reHable account of the number of his forces 
engaged is from nineteen to thirty, and if I should ven- 
ture an estimate of his losses, based upon my experience 
of his ability to select a vantage ground, and take care 
of himself, I would put it at practically nothing. 

The killed and wounded were brought to Fort Snell- 
ing, the killed buried with military honors, and the 
wounded properly cared for. This event adds one more 
to the long list of fatal errors committed by our military 
forces in dealing with the Indians of the Northwest. 
They should never be attacked without a force sufficient 
to demonstrate the superiority of the whites in all cases 
and under all circumstances. Many a valuable life has 
been thus unnecessarilv lost. 



History of Minnesota. 233 

Major Wilkinson, who lost his life in this encounter, 
was a man who had earned an enviable record in the 
army, and was much beloved by his many friends and 
acquaintances in Minnesota. 

The principal Indian engaged in this fight has been 
called, in every newspaper and other reports of it, Bug-a- 
ma-ge-shig; but I have succeeded in obtaining his real 
name from the highest authority. The name, Pug-on- 
a-ke-shig, is the Chippewa for "Hole-in-the-day." 

Shortly after the return of the troops to Fort Snelling 
the settlers about Cass and Leech lakes became uneasy, 
and deluged the governor with telegrams for protection. 
The national guard or state troops had nearly all been 
mustered into the United States service for duty in the 
war with Spain, but the Fourteenth Regiment was in St. 
Paul, awaiting muster out, and the governor telegraphed 
to the war department at Washington to send enough 
of them to the front to quiet the fears of the settlers. 
This was declined, and the governor at once ordered out 
two batteries of artillery, all the state troops that were 
available, and sent them to the scene of the troubles, and 
then sent his celebrated telegram to the war department, 
which may be called the "Minnesota Declaration of In- 
dependence." It ran as follows : 

"Oct. 8. 1898. 
"H. C. Corbin, Adjutant General, Washington, D. C: 

"No one claims that reinforcements are needed at 
Walker. I have not been asked for assistance from that 
quarter. Although I do not think General Bacon has 
won the victory he claims, other people do not say so. 
The Indians claim to have won, and that is my opinion. 
The people all along the Fosston branch of railroad are 
very much alarmed, and asking for protection, which I 



234 History of Minnesota. 

have asked of the war department. The soldiers are 
here, and ready and wiUing to go, but as you have re- 
voked your order of yesterday, you can do what you hke 
with your soldiers. The State of Minnesota will try to 
get along without any assistance from the war depart- 
ment in the future. 

"D. M. CLOUGH, 

"Governor" 

Rumor says that the telegram which was forwarded 
is very much modified from that originally dictated by 
the governor. 

The United States government concluded to with- 
draw its refusal, and send troops to the front, and sev- 
eral companies of the Fourteenth were dispatched to the 
line of the Fosston branch railroad, and distributed 
along the line of that road. 

In the meantime the commissioner of Indian afifairs 
had arrived at Walker, and was negotiating with the In- 
dians, and when it became known that matters were ar- 
ranged to the satisfaction of the government and the 
Indians and no outbreak was expected the soldiers were 
all withdravfc^n, and the incident, so far as military opera- 
tions were concerned, was closed. There were some sur- 
renders of the Indians to the officers of the court, but 
nothing further of consequence occurred. 

POPULATION. 

One of the most interesting features of a new coun- 
try is the character and the nativity of its population. 
The old frontiersman who has watched the growth of 
new states, and fully comprehended the efifect produced 
upon their civilization and character by the nativity of 
their immigrants, is the only person competent to judge 



History of Minnesota. 235 

of the influences exerted in this Hne. It is a well known 
fact that the immigration from Europe into America is 
generally governed by climatic influences. These peo- 
ple usually follow the line of latitude to which they have 
been accustomed. The Norseman from Russia, Sweden, 
Germany and Norway comes to the extreme Northwest- 
ern States, while the emigrants from southern Europe 
seek the more southern latitudes. Of course, these are 
very general comments, and only relate to emigration 
in its usual directions, as the people of all parts of Europe 
are found in all parts of America. It is generally be- 
lieved that the emigrants from northern Europe are 
more desirable than those from further south, and a 
presentation of the status of our population in point of 
nativity will afiford a basis from which to judge of their 
general attributes for good or bad. There is no nation 
on earth that has not sent us some representative. The 
following table, while it will prove that we have a most 
heterogeneous, polyglot population, will also prove that 
we possess vast porwers of assimilation, as we are about 
as harmonious a people as can be found in all the Union. 
Our governor is a Swede, one of our United States sen- 
ators is a Norwegian, and our other state officers are 
pretty generally distributed among the various nationali- 
ties. Of course, in the minor political subdivisions, such 
as counties, cities and towns, the ofifice holding is gen- 
erally governed by the same considerations. 

I give the various countries from which our popula- 
tion is drawn, with the numbers from each country, and 
the number of native born and foreign born, which, ag- 
gregated, constitute our entire population. These fig- 
ures are taken from the state census of 1895 : 



236 History of Minnesota. 

England 12,941 Ireland 26,106 

Scotland 5,344 Wales 1,246 

Germany 133,768 France 1,492 

Denmark 16,143 Sweden 119,554 

Norway 107,319 Russia 6,286 

Canada 49,231 Bohemia 10,327 

Poland 8,464 Finland 7,652 

Iceland 454 All other countries.. . . 11,205 



Total native born 1,057,084 

Total foreign born 5I7>535 



Total population 1,674,619 

The total native born of our population is verv large- 
ly composed of the descendants of foreign emigrants. 
These figures afiford a large field for thought and future 
consideration, when emigration problems are under 
legislative investigation. 

The census from which these figures are taken being- 
five years old, I think it is safe to add a sufficient number 
of increase to bring our population up to two millions. 
The census of 1900 will demonstrate whether or not my 
estimate is correct. 

THE STATE FLAG. 

Up to the year 1893 the State of Minnesota had no 
distinctive state flag. On April 4, 1893, an act was 
passed by the legislature entitled, "An act providing for 
the adoption of a state flag," This act appointed by 
name a commission of six ladies, to adopt a design for 
a state flag. Section 2 of the act provided that the de- 
sign adopted should embody, as near as may be. the fol- 
lotwing facts: 

"There shall be a white ground with reverse side of 
blue. The center of the white ground shall be occupied 
by a design substantially embodying the form of the 



History of Minnesota. 237 

seal employed as the state seal of Minnesota at the time 
of its admission into the Union. * * * 'pj^g ggj^j 
design of the state seal shall be surrounded by appropri- 
ate representations of the moccasin flower, indigenous to 
Minnesota, surrounding said central design, and appro- 
priately arranged on the said white ground shall be nine- 
teen stars, emblematic of the fact that Minnesota was the 
nineteenth state to be admitted into the Union after its 
formation by the thirteen original states. There shall 
also appear at the bottom of the flag, in the white 
ground, so as to be plainly visible, the word 'Minneso- 
ta.' " 

The commission prepared a very beautiful design for 
the flag, following closely the instructions given by the 
legislature, which was adopted, and is now the author- 
ized f^ag of the state. The flag-staff is surmounted by a 
golden gopher rampant, in harmony with the popular 
name given to our state. May it ever represent the 
principles of liberty and justice, and never be lowered to 
an enemy ! The original flag, artistically embroidered in 
silk, can be seen at the office of the governor at the state 
capitol. 

THE OFFICIAL FLOWER OP THE STATE, AND THE METHOD 
OF ITS SELECTION. 

On the twentieth day of April, 1891, the legislature 
of the state passed an act entitled "An act to provide for 
the collection, arrangement and display of the products 
of the State of Minnesota at the World's Columbian Ex- 
position of one thousand eight hundred and ninety- 
three, and to make an appropriation therefor." This 
act created a commission of six citizens of the state, to 
be appointed by the governor, and called "The Board of 
World's Fair Managers of Minnesota." The women of 



238 History of Minnesota. 

the state determined that there should be an opportunity 
for them to participate in the exposition on the part of 
Minnesota, and a convention of delegates from each 
county of the state was called, and held at the People's 
Church, in St. Paul, on Feb. 14, 1892. This convention 
elected one woman delegate and one alternate, from 
each of the seven congressional districts of the state. 
There were also two national lady managers from Min- 
nesota, nominated by the two national representatives 
from Minnesota and appointed by the president of the 
United States, who were added to the seven delegates 
so chosen, and the whole was called "The Woman's 
Auxiliary to the State Commission." The women so 
chosen took charge of all the matters properly pertain- 
ing to the women's department of the fair. 

At one of the meetings of the ladies, held in St. Paul, 
the question of the selection of an official flower for the 
state was presented, and the sentiment generally pre- 
vailed that it should at once be decided by the assem- 
blage; but Mrs. L. P. Hunt, the delegate from Man- 
kato, in the second congressional district, wisely sug- 
gested that the selection should be made by all the ladies 
of the state, and thev should be given an opportunity to 
vote upon the proposition. This suggestion was ap- 
proved, and the following plan was adopted: Mrs. 
Hunt was authorized to appoint a committee, of which 
she was to be chairman, to select a list of flowers to be 
voted on. Accordingly she appointed a subcommittee, 
who were to consult the state botanist, Mr. Conway 
MacMillan, who was to name a number of Minnesota 
flowers from which the ladies were to choose. He pre- 
sented the following: 

Lady Slipper (Aloccasin Flower — Cypripedium Spec- 
tabile). 



History op Minnesota. 239 

Silky Aster. 

Indian Pink. 

Cone Flower (Brown-eyed Susan). 

Wild Rose. 

The plan was to send out printed tickets, to all the 
women's organizations in the state, with these names on 
them, to be voted upon, which was done, with the result 
that the moccasin flower received an overwhelming ma- 
jority, and has ever since been accepted as the official 
flower of the state. That the contest was a very spir- 
ited one can be judged from the fact that Mrs. Hunt 
sent out in her district at least ten thousand tickets, with 
indications of her choice of the moccasin flower. She 
also maintained lengthy newspaper controversies with 
parties in Manitoba, who claimed the prior right of that 
province to the moccasin flower, all of whom she van- 
quished. 

The choice was a very wise and appropriate one. 
The flower itself is very beautiful, and peculiarly adapted 
to the purposes of artistic decoration. It has already 
been utilized in three instances of an official character, 
with success and approval. The Minnesota state build- 
ing at the Columbian Exposition was beautifully deco- 
rated with it. It is prominently incorporated into the 
state flag, and adorns the medal conferred by the state 
upon the defenders of Fort Ridgely. 

The botanical name of the flower is Cypripedium, 
taken from Greek words meaning the shoe of Venus. 
It is popularly called "Lady's Slipper," "Moccasin 
Flower^' and "Indian Shoe." 

About twenty-five species of cypripedium are known, 
belonging to the north temperate zone and reaching 
south into Mexico and northern India. Six species oc- 
cur in the northern United States and Canada, east of 



240 . History of Minnesota. 

the Rocky Mountains, all of these being found in Min- 
nesota, and about a dozen species occur on this conti- 
nent. They are perennial herbs, with irregular flowers, 
which grow singly or in small clusters, the colors of 
some of which are strikingly beautiful. The species 
adopted by the women of the State of Minnesota is the 
Cypripediiim Spectabile, or the showy lady slipper. 

The ladies naturally desired that their choice should 
be ratified by the state legislature, and one of their num- 
ber prepared a report of their doings, in a petition to 
that body, asking its approval. Whoever drew the pe- 
tition named the flower chosen by the ladies as "Cypri- 
pedium Calceolous," a species which does not grow in 
Minnesota, but is purely of European production. The 
petition was presented to the senate on the fourth day of 
February, 1893. The journal of the senate shows the 
following record, which is found on page 167 : 

"Mr. Dean asked the unanimous consent to present 
a petition from the Women's Auxiliary to the World's 
Fair, relative to the adoption of a state flower and em- 
blem, which was read. 

"Mr. Dean offered the following concurrent resolu- 
tion, and moved its adoption : 

*' 'Be it resolved by the senate, the house of repre- 
sentatives concurring, that the wild Lady Slipper, or 
Moccasin Flower {'Cypripediiim Calceolous'). be, and the 
same is hereby, designated and adopted as the state 
flower or emblem of the State of Minnesota,' which was 
adopted." 

In the Legislative Manual of 1893 appears, on page 
606, the following: 



History of Minnesota. 241 

"the state flower. 

"On April 4, 1893 [should be February], a petition 
from the Women's Auxiliary to the World's Fair was 
presented to the senate, relative to the adoption of a 
state flower. By resolution of the senate, concurred in 
by the house (?), the Wild Lady SHpper, or Moccasin 
Flower (Cypripedittm) was designated as the state flower 
or floral emblem of the State of Minnesota." 

The word "Calceoloits" means a little shoe or slip- 
per; but, as I said before, the species so designated in 
botany is not indigenous to Minnesota, and is purely a 
foreigner. As we have in the course of our growth as- 
similated so many foreigners successfully, we will have 
no trouble in swallowing this small shoe, especially as 
the house did not concur in the resolution, and while the 
mistake will in no way militate against the progress or 
prosperity of Minnesota, it should be a warning to all 
committees and Western legislators to go slow when 
dealing with the dead languages. 

We now have the whole body of cypripediums to 
choose from, and may reject the calceolous. 

If the house of representatives ever concurred in the 
senate resolution, it left no trace of its action, either in 
its journal or published laws, that I have been able to 
find. 

Among the many valuable achievements of the Wo- 
men's Auxiliary one deserves special mention. Mrs. 
H. F. Brown, one of the delegates at large, suggested a 
statue for the Woman's Building, to be the production 
of Minnesota's artistic conception and execution. The 
architect of the state building had disallowed this fea- 
ti re, and there was no public fund to meet the expense, 
which would be considerable. The ladies, however, de- 
16 



242 History of Minnesota. 

cided to procure the statue, and rely on private sub- 
scription to defray the cost. Mrs. L. P. Hunt thought 
that sufficient funds might be raised from the school 
children of the state, through a penny subscription. 
Enough was raised, however, to secure a plaster cast of 
great beauty, representing Hiawatha carrying Minne- 
haha across a stream in his arms, illustrating the lines in 
Longfellow's poem: 

"Over wide and rushing rivers 

In his arms he bore the maiden." 

This statue adorned the porch of the Minnesota 
building during the fair. It was designed and made by 
a very talented young Norwegian sculptor, then resid- 
ing in Minneapolis — the late Jakob Fjelde. It is pro- 
posed to cast the statue in bronze and place it in Min- 
nehaha park, Minneapolis, at some future day. 

ORIGIN OP THE NAME "GOPHER STATE." 

Most of the states in the Union have a popular name. 
New York is called the "Empire State," Pennsylvania 
the "Keystone State," etc. As you come west they seem 
to have taken the names of animals. Michigan is called 
the "Wolverine State," Wisconsin the "Badger State," 
and it is not at all singular that Minnesota should have 
been christened the "Gopher State." These names 
never originate by any recognized authority. They arise 
from some event that suggests them, or from some im- 
portant utterance that makes an impression on the pub- 
lic mind. In the very early days of the territory — say, 
as early as 1854 or 1855, — the question was discussed 
among the settlers as to what name should be adopted 
by Minnesota, and for a time it was called by some the 
"Beaver State." That name seemed to have the great- 



History of Minnesota. 243 

est number of advocates, but it was always met with the 
objection that the beaver, although quite numerous in 
some of our streams, was not sufficiently so to entitle 
him to characterize the territory by giving it his name. 
While this debate was in progress the advocates of the 
beaver spoke of the territory as the beaver territory, 
but it never reached a point of universal adoption. It 
was well known that the gopher abounded, and his name 
was introduced as a competitor with the beaver; but 
being a rather insignificant animal, and his nature being 
destructive, and in no way useful, he was objected to by 
many, as too useless and undignified to become an em- 
blem of the coming great state, — for we all had, at that 
early day, full confidence that Minnesota was destined 
to be a great and prominent state. Nothing was ever 
settled on this subject until after the year 1857. As I 
have before stated, in that year an attempt was made to 
amend the constitution by allowing the state to issue 
bonds in the sum of $5,000,000 to aid in the construc- 
tion of the railroads which the United States had sub- 
sidized with land p^rants, and the campaign which m- 
volved this amendment was most bitterly fought. The 
opnonents of the measure published a cartoon to bring 
the subject into ridicule, which was very generally cir- 
culated throughout the state, but failed to check the 
enthusiasm in favor of the proposition. This cartoon 
represented ten men in a line, with heads bowed down 
with the weight of a bag of gold hung about their necks, 
marked "$10,000." They were supposed to represent 
the members of the legislature who had been bribed to 
pass the act, and were called "Primary Directors." On 
their backs was a railroad track, upon which was a train 
of cars drawn by nine gophers, the three gophers in the 
lead proclaiming, "We have no cash, but will give you 



244 History op Minnesota. 

our drafts." Attached to the rear of the train was a 
wheelbarrow, with a barrel on it, marked "Gin," fol- 
lowed by the devil, in great glee, with his thumb at his 
nose. In the train were the advocates of the bill, flying 
a flag bearing these words : "Gopher train ; excursion 
train ; members of extra session of legislature, free. We 
develop the resources of the country." Over this was 
a smaller flag, with the words : "The $5,000,000 Loan 
Bill." 

In another part of the picture is a rostrum, from 
which a gopher is addressing the people with the legend : 
"I am right; Gorman is wrong." In the right hand 
corner of the cartoon is a round ball, with a gopher in it, 
coming rapidly down, with the legend: "A Ball come 
from Winona." This was a pun on the name of Mr. St. 
A. D. Balcombe from Winona, who was a strong advo- 
cate of the measure. Under the whole group was a dark 
pit, with the words, "A mine of corruption." 

The bill was passed, and the state was saddled with a 
debt of $5,000,000, under which it staggered for over 
twenty years, and we never even got a gopher train out 
of it. 

This cartoon, coming just at the time the name of 
the state was under consideration, fastened upon it the 
nickname of "Gopher," which it has ever since retained. 
The name is not at all inappropriate, as the animal has 
always abounded in the state. In a work on the mam- 
mals of Minnesota, by C. L. Herrick, 1892, he gives the 
scientific name of our most common species of gopher, 
"Spermophilus Tridecemlineatus," or thirteen-striped 
gopher, and says : "The species ranges from the Sas- 
katchawan to Texas, and from Ohio to Utah. Minne- 
sota is the peculiar home of the typical form, and thus 
deserves the name of the 'Gopher State.' " 



History of Minnesota. 245 

Although the name originated in ridicule and con- 
tempt, it has not in any way handicapped the common- 
wealth, partly because very few people know its origin, 
but for the greater reason, that it would take much more 
than a name to check its predestined progress. 

STATE PARKS. 

ITASCA STATE PARK. 

In a previous part of this work, under the head of 
"Lumber," I have referred to the fact that a great na- 
tional park and forest reserve is in contemplation by the 
United States at the headwaters of the Mississippi, and 
made reference to the state park already established at 
that point. I will now relate what has been done by the 
state in this regard. In 1875 an official survey of the 
land in and about Lake Itasca was made by the surveyor 
general of the United States for Minnesota, which 
brought these lands under the operation of the United 
States laws, and part of them were entered. A por- 
tion of them went to the Northern Pacific Railroad 
Company under its land grant. The swamp and school 
lands went to the state, and much to private individuals 
under the various methods of making title to govern- 
ment lands. 

On the 20th of April, 1891, the legislature passed an 
act entitled, "xA.n act to establish and create a public 
park, to be known and designated as the Itasca State 
Park, and authorizing the condemnation of lands for 
park purposes." This act sets apart for park purposes 
19,702 acres of land, and dedicates them to the perpetual 
use of the people. It places the same under the care 
and supervision of the state auditor, as land commis- 
sioner. It prohibits the destruction of trees, or hunting 



246 History of Minnesota. 

within its limits. It provides for a commission to ob- 
tain title to such of the lands as belong to private indi- 
viduals, either by purchase or condemnation. 

On the third day of August, 1892, the United States 
granted to the state all the unappropriated lands within 
the limits of the park, upon this condition : 

"Provided, the land hereby granted shall revert to 
the United States, together with all the improvements 
thereon, if at any time it shall cease to be exclusively 
used for a public state park, or if the state shall not pass 
a law or laws to protect the timber thereon." 

The state, at the session of the legislature in 1893, 
accepted the grant, but as yet has made no provision for 
the extinguishment of the title of private owners, of 
which there are 8,823 acres. This divided ownership of 
the lands within the limits of the park endangers the 
whole region by lumbering operations, and consequent 
forest fires after the timber is cut. Fires are not to be 
feared in natural forests until they are cut over. The 
acquisition of title to all these lands by the state should 
not be delayed any longer than is necessary to perfect 
it, no matter at what cost. The state has already erected 
a house on the bank of Itasca lake, and has a resident 
commissioner in charge of the park. 

The effect of the law prohibiting hunting in the park 
has already greatly increased the numbers of animals 
and fowls that find in it a safe refuge. 

The extent of the park is seven miles long by five 
miles wide, and is covered with a dense forest of pine, 
oak, maple, basswood, aspen, balsam fir, cedar and 
spruce, which is nearly in a state of nature. It is much 
to be hoped that in the near future this park will be en- 
larged to many times its present size by additional 
grants. 



History of Minnesota. 247 

interstate park— the dalles of the st. croix. 

One of the most, if not the most, beautiful and 
picturesque points in the Northwest is the Dalles of the 
St. Croix river. Here the state has acquired the title 
to about 150 acres of land on the Minnesota side of the 
river, and dedicated it for park purposes. This was 
done under the authority of chapter 169 of the Laws of 
1895. The point on the Minnesota side is called Tay- 
lor's Falls, and on the Wisconsin side St. Croix Falls. 
Between these two towns the St. Croix river rushes rap- 
idly, forming a cataract of great beauty. The blulTs are 
precipitate and rocky, forming a narrow gorge through 
which the river plunges. The name of the river is 
French, "Sainte Croix," meaning "The holy cross," and 
the name of this particular point, the "Dalles," was 
given on account of the curious formation of the rocky 
banks, which assume wonderful shapes. One, looking 
down stream, presents a perfect likeness of a man, and 
is called "The Old Man of the Dalles." Another curi- 
ous rock formation is called the "Devil's Chair." There 
are many others equally interesting. It is generally sup- 
posed that the word "Dalles" has the same meaning as 
the English word "Dell" or "Dale" signifying a narrow 
secluded vale or valley, but such is not the case as ap- 
plied to this peculiar locality. The word "Dalles" is 
French, and means a slab, a flag or a flagstone, and is 
appropriate to the peculiar character of the general rock 
formation of the river banks at this point and vicinity. 

The State of Minnesota has already done a good deal 
of work towards making it attractive, and it has become 
quite a resort for pleasure seekers in the summer time. 
Wisconsin has acquired title to a larger tract on the east 
side of the river than is embraced in the Minnesota park 



248 History of Minnesota. 

on the west side, but as yet has not done much in the 
way of improvement. The two tracts are united by a 
graceful bridge which spans the river between them. 
The Minnesota park is under the charge of a state cus- 
todian, who cares for and protects it from despoilment. 

POLITICS. 

In writing the history of a state, no matter how short 
or limited such history may be, its politics seem to be an 
essential element of presentation, and, on this assump- 
tion alone, I will say a very few words concerning that 
subject. I do not believe that the question of which po- 
litical party has been dominant in the state has exerted 
any considerable influence on its material prosperity. 
The great "First Cause" of its creation was so generous 
in its award of substantial blessings that it placed the 
state beyond the ability of man or his politics to seri- 
ously injure or impede its advance towards material suc- 
cess in any of the channels that promote greatness. Soil, 
climate, minerals, facilities for commerce and transpor- 
tation, consisting of great rivers, lakes and harbors.— 
all these combine to defy the destructive tendencies so 
often exerted by the ignorance and passions of man. It 
has resisted every folly of its people, and they have been 
many; every onslaught of its savage inhabitants, and 
they have been more formidable than those experienced 
by any other state ; and even the cataclysms with which 
it has occasionally been visited arising from natural 
causes. The fact is, Minnesota is so rock-rooted in all 
the elements of material greatness that it must advance, 
regardless of all known obstructions. 

When the territory was organized in 1849, Gen. 
Zachary Taylor, a Whig, was the president of the United 



History op Minnesota. 249 

States, and he appointed Alexander Ramsey, also a 
Whig, as governor, to set its political machinery in mo- 
tion. He remained in office until the national adminis- 
tration changed in 1853, and Franklin Pierce, a Demo- 
crat, was chosen president. He appointed Gen. Willis 
A. Gorman, a Democrat, as governor to succeed Gov- 
ernor Ramsey. On the 4th of March, 1857, James Bu- 
chanan, a Democrat, succeeded President Pierce, and 
appointed Samuel Medary, a Democrat, as governor of 
Minnesota. He held this position until the state was 
admitted into the Union, in May, 1858, when Henry H. 
Sibley, a Democrat, was elected governor for the term 
of two years, and served it out. 

On the admission of the state into the Union, two 
Democratic United States senators were elected, Henry 
M. Rice and Gen. James Shields. General Shields serv- 
ed from May 12, 1858, to March 3, 1859, and Mr. Rice 
from May 12, 1858, to March 3, 1863, he having drawn 
the long term. The state also elected three members 
to the United States house of representatives, all Demo- 
crats, James M. Cavanaugh, W, W. Phelps and George 
L. Becker, but it was determined that we were only en- 
titled to two, and Mr. Phelps and Mr. Cavanaugh were 
admitted to seats. With this state and federal repre- 
sentation we entered upon our political career. At the 
next election for governor, in the fall of 1859, Alexander 
Ramsey, Republican, was chosen, and there has never 
been a governor of the state of any but Republican poli- 
tics since, until John Lind was elected in the fall of 1898, 
Mr. Lind was chosen as a Democrat, with the aid of 
other political organizations, which united with the 
Democracy, Mr. Lind now fills the office of governor. 
It will be seen that for thirty-nine years the state has 
been wholly in the hands of the Republicans. During 



250 History of Minnesota, 

the interval between the administration of Governor 
Sibley and Governor Lind the state has had twelve gov- 
ernors, all Republican, 

In its federal representation, however, the Demo- 
crats have fared a trifle better. The growth of popula- 
tion has increased our membership in the federal house 
of representatives to seven, and occasionally a Demo- 
crat, or member of some other party, has succeeded in 
breaking into congress. From the first district W. H. 
Harries, a Democrat, was elected in 1890. From the 
Third district Eugene M, Wilson, Democrat, was elect- 
ed in 1868; Henry Poeler, Democrat, in 1878; John L,. 
McDonald, Democrat, in 1886; and O. M. Hall, Demo- 
crat, in 1890, and again in 1892, From the Fourth dis- 
trict Edmund Rice, Democrat, was elected in 1886, and 
James N. Castle, Democrat, in 1890, From the Sixth 
district M. R. Baldwin, Democrat, was elected in 1892. 
From the Fifth district Kittle Halverson, Alliance, was 
elected in 1890, From the Seventh district Haldor E. 
Been. People's Party, was elected in 1892. 

Since Henry M. Rice and James Shields, all the 
United States Senators have been Republican. They 
were Morton S. Wilkinson, Alexander Ramsey, Daniel 
S. Norton, William Windom, O. P. Stearns, S, J. R. 
McMillin, A. J, Edgerton, D, M. Sabin, C. K. Davis, 
W. D, Washburn and Knute Nelson. Some of these 
have served two terms, and some very short terms, to 
fill vacancies. 

Of course, the state had its compliment of other of- 
ficers, but as their duties are more of a clerical and busi- 
ness character than political, it is unnecessary to par- 
ticularize them. 

It is a subject of congratulation to all citizens of Min- 
nesota that, out of all the state officers that have come 



History of Minnesota. 251 

and gone in the forty years of its life, there has been 
but one impeachment, which was of a state treasurer, 
Mr. William Seeger, who was elected in 1871. Al- 
though he was convicted, I have always believed, and 
do now, that he was personally innocent, and suffered 
for the sins of others. 

The State of Minnesota has always, since the adjust- 
ment of its old railroad bond debt, held a conservative 
position in the Union, — financially, socially, patriotical- 
ly and commercially. Its credit is the best, its prospects 
the brightest, and it makes very little difference which 
political party dominates its future so long as it is free 
from the taint of anarchy and is guided by the principles 
of honor and justice. The only thing to be feared is 
that some political party may gain control of the gov- 
ernment of the nation, and either degrade its currency, 
involve it in disastrous complications and wars with 
other nations, or commit some similar folly which may 
reflectively or secondarily act injuriously on Minnesota 
as a member of the national family of states. Other- 
wise Minnesota can defy the vagaries of politics and 
politicians. She has very little to fear from this remote 
apprehension, because the American people, as they ever 
have been, will no doubt continue to be, on second 
thought, true to the teachings and traditions of the 
founders of the republic. 

Minnesota, for so young a state, has been quite lib- 
erally remembered in the way of diplomatic appoint- 
ments. Gen. C. C. Andrews represented the United 
States as minister to Sweden and Norway, and the Hon. 
Samuel R. Thayer and Hon. Stanford Newell at The 
Hague, the latter of whom now fills the position. Mr. 
Newell was also a member of the World's Peace Com- 
mission recently held at The Hague. Lewis Baker rep- 



252 History of Minnesota. 

resented the United States as minister to Nicaragua, 
Costa Rica and San Salvador. 

The state has also been honored by the appointment 
of the following named gentlemen from among its citi- 
zens as consuls general to various countries : Gen. C. 
C. Andrews to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; Hon. Hans Matt- 
son to Calcutta, India; Dr. J. A. Leonard to Calcutta, 
and also to Shanghai, China; and Hon. John Goode- 
now to Shanghai, China. 

We have had a full complement of consuls to all 
parts of the world, the particulars of which are unneces- 
sary in this connection. 

The state has also had three cabinet officers. On 
Dec. ID, 1879, Alexander Ramsey was appointed secre- 
tary of war by President Hayes, and again on Dec. 20, 
1880, he was made secretary of the navy. The latter 
office he held only about ten days, until it was filled by 
a permanent appointee. 

William Windom was appointed secretary of the 
treasury by President Garfield, and again to the same 
position by President Harrison. He died in the office. 

Gen. William G. Le Due was appointed commis- 
sioner of agriculture by President Hayes, which was a 
quasi cabinet position, and was afterwards made a full 
and regular one. The general was afterwards made a 
member of the National Agricultural Society of France, 
of which Washington, Jefferson and Marshall were 
members. 

Senator Cushman K. Davis, who was chairman of 
the committee on foreign relations of the senate, was 
appointed by President McKinley one of the commis- 
sioners on the part of the United States to negotiate the 
treaty of peace with Spain after the recent Spanish war. 

Gov. William R. Merriam was appointed by Presi- 



History op Minnesota. 253 

dent McKinley as director of the census of 1900, and is 
now busily engaged in the performance of the arduous 
duties of that office. They are not diplomatic, but ex- 
ceedingly important. 

President Cleveland appointed John W. Riddle as 
secretary of legation to the embassy at Constantinople, 
where he has remained to the present time. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Necessity has compelled me, in the preparation of 
this history, to be brief, not only in the subjects treated 
of, but also in the manner of such treatment. Details 
have usually been avoided, and comprehensive generali- 
ties indulged in. Those who read it may find many 
things wanting, and in order that they may have an op- 
portunity to supply my deficiencies without too much 
research and labor, I have prepared a list of all the works 
which have ever been written on Minnesota, or any par- 
ticular subject pertaining thereto, and append them 
hereto for convenience of reference. Any and all of 
them can be found in the library of the Minnesota His- 
torical Society in the state capitol. 

So much of what I have said consists of personal ex- 
periences and observations that it more resembles a nar- 
rative than a history, but I think I can safely vouch for 
the accuracy and truthfulness of all I have thus related. 

BOOKS WHICH HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED RELATING TO MIN- 
NESOTA. 

The following will be found in "Collections of the 
Minnesota Historical Society, volume i, St. Paul, 1872:" 

I. The French Voyageurs to Minnesota during the 
Seventeenth Century, by Rev. E. D. Neill. 



254 History of Minnesota. 

2. Description of Minnesota (1850), by Hon. Henry 

H. Sibley. 

3. Our Field of Historical Research, by Hon. Alex- 

ander Ramsey. 

4. Early Courts of Minnesota, by Hon. Aaron Good- 

rich. 

5. Early Schools of Minnesota, by D. A. J. Baker. 

6. Religious Movements in Minnesota, by Rev. C. 

Hobart. 

7. The Dakota Language, by Rev. S. R. Riggs. 

8. History and Physical Geography of Minnesota, 

by H. R. Schoolcraft. 

9. Letter of Mesnard, by Rev. E. D. Neill. 

10. The Saint Louis River, by T. M. Fullerton. 

11. Ancient Mounds and Memorials, by Messrs. 

Pond, Aiton and Riggs. 

12. Schoolcraft's Exploring Tour of 1832, by Rev. 

W. T. Boutwell. 

13. Battle of Lake Pokegama, by Rev. E. D. Neill. 

14. Memoir of Jean Nicollet, by Hon. Henry H. Sib- 

ley. 

15. Sketch of Joseph Renville, by Rev. E. D. Neill. 

16. Department of Hudson's Bay, by Rev. G. A. Bel- 

court. 

17. Obituary of James M. Goodhue, by Rev. E. D. 

Neill. 

18. Dakota Land and Dakota Life, by Rev. E. D. 

Neill. 

19. Who were the First Men, by Rev. T. S. William- 

son. 

20. Louis Hennepin, the Franciscan, and Du Luth, 

the Explorer. 

21. Le Sueur, the Explorer of the Minnesota River. 

22. D'Iberville ; An Abstract of his Memorial. 



History op Minnesota. 255 

23. The Fox and Ojibway War. 

24. Captain Jonathan Carver and his Explorations. 

25. Pike's Explorations in Minnesota. 

26. Who Discovered Itasca Lake, by William Morri- 

son. 
z'j. Early Days at Fort Snelling, 

28. Running the Gauntlet, by William T. Snelling. 

29. Reminiscences, Historical and Personal. 

Volume 2 : 

30. Voyage in a Six-oared Skiff to the Falls of St. 

Anthony in 1817, by Major Stephen H. Long. 

31. Early French Forts and Footprints of the Valley 

of the Upper Mississippi, by Rev, E. D. Neill. 
"^^z. Occurrences in and around Fort Snelling from 

1819 to 1840, by Rev. E. D. Neill. 
2iZ' ReHgion of the Dakotas (Chapter VI. of James 

W. Lynd's Manuscripts). 

34. Mineral Regions of Lake Superior, from Their 

First Discovery in 1865, by Hon. Henry M. 
Rice. 

35. Constantine Beltrami, by Alfred J. Hill. 

Z^. Historical Notes on the U. S. Land Office, by 

Hon. Henry M. Rice. 
2^"]. The Geography of Perrot, so far as it relates to 

Minnesota, by Alfred J. Hill. 

38. Dakota Superstitions, by Rev. Gideon H. Pond. 

39. The Carver Centenary; an account of the Cele- 

bration, May I, 1867, of the One Hundredth 
Anniversary of the Council and Treaty of Capt. 
Jonathan Carver with the Nadowessioux, at 
Carver's Cave in St. Paul, with an address by 
the Rev. John Mattocks. 



256 History of Minnesota. 

40. Relation of M. Penticant, translated by Alfred J. 

Hill, with an introductory note by the Rev. E. 

D. Neill. 

41. Bibliography of Minnesota, by J. Fletcher Wil- 

liams. 

42. A Reminiscence of Fort Snelling, by Mrs. Char- 

lotte O. Van Cleve. 

43. Narrative of Paul Ma-za-koo-to-ma-ne. Trans- 

lated by Rev, S. R. Riggs. 

44. Memoir of Ex-Governor Henry A. Swift, by J. 

Fletcher Williams. 

45. Sketch of John Otherday, by Hon. Henry H, Sib- 

ley. 

46. A Coincidence, by Mrs. Charlotte O. Van Cleve 

47. Memoir of Hon. James W. Lynd, by Rev. S. R. 

Riggs. 

48. The Dakota Mission, by Rev. S. R. Riggs. 

49. Indian Warfare in Minnesota, by Rev. S. W. 

Pond. 

50. Colonel Leavenworth's Expedition to Establish 

Fort Snelling in 18 19, by Major Thomas For- 
syth. 

51. Memoir of Jean Baptiste Faribault, by Gen. H. 

H. Sibley. 

52. Memoir of Captain Martin Scott, by J. Fletcher 

Williams. 

53. Na-peh-shnee-doo-ta, a Dakota Christian, by Rev. 

T. S. Williamson. 

54. Memoir of Hercules L. Dousman, by Gen. Henry 

H. Sibley. 

55. Memoir of Joseph R. Brown, by J. F. Williams, 

E. S. Goodrich, and J. A. Wheelock. 

56. Memoir of Hon. Cyrus Aldrich, by J. F, Williams. 



History of Minnesota. 257 

57. Memoir of Rev. Lucian Galtier, by Bishop John 

Ireland. 

58. Memoir of Hon. David Olmsted, by J. F. Wil- 

liams. 

59. Reminiscences of the Early Days of Minnesota, 

by Hon. H. H. Sibley. 

60. The Sioux or Dakotas of the Missouri River, by 

Rev. T. S. Williamson. 

61. Memoir of Rev. S. Y. McMasters, by Earle S. 

Goodrich. 

62. Tributes to the Memory of Rev. John Mattocks, 

by J. F. Williams, Hon. Henry H. Sibley, 
John B. Sanborn and Bishop Ireland. 

63. Memoir of Ex-Governor Willis A. Gorman, com- 

piled from press notices, and eulogy by Hon. 
C. K. Davis. 

64. Lake Superior, Historical and Descriptive, by 

Hon. James H. Baker. 

65. Memorial Notices of Rev. Gideon H. Pond, by 

Rev. S. R. Riggs. Hon. H. H. Sibley and Rev. 
T. S. Williamson. 

66. In Memory of Rev. Thomas S. Williamson, by 

Rev. S. R. Riggs and A. W. Williamson. 

67. The Ink-pa-du-ta Massacre of 1857, by Hon. 

Charles E. Flandrau. 

Volume 4: 

68. History of the City of St. Paul and County of 

Ramsey, Minnesota, by J. Fletcher Williams, 
containing a very full sketch of the first settle- 
ment and early days of St. Paul, in 1838, 1839 
and 1840, and of the territory from 1849 to 
1858; lists of the early settlers and claim own- 

17 



258 History of Minnesota. 

ers ; amusing events of pioneer days ; biograph- 
ical sketches of over two hundred prominent 
men of early times; three steel portraits and 
forty-seven woodcuts (portraits and views) ; 
lists of federal, county and city officers since 
1849. 

Volume ,5 : 

69. History of the Ojibway Nation, by William W. 

Warren (deceased) ; a valuable work, contain- 
ing the legends and traditions if the Ojibways, 
their origin, history, costumes, religion, daily 
life and habits, ideas, biographies of leading- 
chieftains and orators, vivid descriptions of 
battles, etc. The work was carefully edited by 
Rev. Edward D. Neill, who added an appendix 
of 116 pages, giving an account of the Ojib- 
ways from official and other records. It also 
contains a portrait of Warren, a memoir of him 
by J. Fletcher Williams, and a copious index. 

Volume 6: 

70. The Sources of the Mississippi ; their Discovery, 

Real and Pretended, by Hon. James H. Baker. 

71. The Hennepin Bicentenary; Celebration by the 

Minnesota Historical Society of the 200th an- 
niversary of the Discovery of the Falls of St. 
Anthony in 1680, by Louis Hennepin. 

72. Early Days at Red River Settlement and Fort 

Snelling; reminiscences of Mrs. Ann Adams. 
j^i' Protestant Missions in the Northwest, by Rev. 
Stephen R. Riggs, with a memoir of the au- 
thor, by J. F. Williams. 



History of Minnesota. 259 

74. Autobiography of Major Lawrence Taliaferro, In- 

dian Agent at Fort Snelling, 1820 to 1840. 

75. Memoir of General Henry Hastings Sibley, by J. 

F. Williams. 

'](i. Mounds in Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, by 
Alfred J. Hill. 

yj. Columbian Address, delivered by Hon. H. W. 
Childs before the Minnesota Historical Socie- 
ty, Oct. 21, 1892. 

78. Reminiscences of Fort Snelling, by Col. John 

BHss. 

79. Sioux Outbreak of 1862; Mrs. J. E. DeCamp's 

Narrative of her Captivity. 

80. A Sioux Story of the War; Chief Big Eagle's 

Story of the Sioux Outbreak of 1862. 

81. Incidents of the Threatened Outbreak of Hole-in- 

the-day and other Ojibways at the time of the 
Sioux Massacre in 1862, by George W. Sweet. 

82. Dakota Scalp Dances, by Rev. T. S. Williamson. 
^2)- Earliest Schools in Minnesota Valley, by Rev. T. 

S. Williamson. 

84. Traditions of Sioux Indians, by Major William H. 

Forbes. 

85. Death of a Remarkable Man ; Gabriel Franchere, 

by Hon. Benjamin P. Avery. 

86. First Settlement on the Red River of the North in 

1812, and its Condition in 1847, by Mrs. Eliza- 
beth T. Ayres. 

87. Frederick x\yer, Teacher and Missionary to the 

Ojibway Indians, 1829 to 1850. 

88. Captivity among the Sioux ; Story of Nancy Mc- • 

Clure. 

89. Captivity among the Sioux; Story of Mary 

Schwandt. 



260 History op Minnesota. 

90. Autobiography and Reminiscences of Philander 

Prescott. 

91. Recollections of James M. Goodhue, by Colonel 

John H. Stevens. 

92. History of the Ink-pa-du-ta Massacre, by Abbie 

Gardner Sharp, 

Volume 7: 

93. The Mississippi River and Its Source ; a narrative 

and critical history of the river and its head- 
waters, accompanied by the results of detailed 
hydrographic and topographic surveys; illus- 
trated with many maps, portraits and views of 
the scenery ; by Hon. J. V. Brower, Commis- 
sioner of the Itasca State Park, representing 
also the State Historical Society. With an 
appendix : How the Mississippi River and the 
Lake of the Woods became instrumental in the 
establishment of the northwestern boundary of 
the United States, by Alfred J. Hill. 

Volume 8: 

94. The International Boundary between Lake Su- 

perior and the Lake of the Woods, by Ulysses 
Sherman Grant. 

95. The Settlement and Development of the Red 

River Valley, by Warren Upham. 

96. The Discovery and Development of the Iron Ores 

of Minnesota, by N. H. Winchell, State Geol- 
ogist. 

97. The Origin and Growth of the Minnesota His- 

torical Society, by the President, Hon. Alex- 
ander Ramsey, 



History of Minnesota. 261 

98. Opening of the Red River of the North to Com- 

merce and Civilization, with plates, by Capt. 
Russell Blakeley. 

99. Last days of Wisconsin Territory, and Early 

Days of Minnesota Territory, by Hon. Henry 
Iv. Moss. 

100. Lawyers and Courts of Minnesota, Prior to and 
During its Territorial Period, by Judge 
Charles E. Flandrau. 

lOi. Homes and Habitations of the Minnesota His- 
torical Society, by Charles E. Mayo. 

102. The Historical Value of Newspapers, by J. B. 

Chaney. 

103. The United States Government Publications, by 

D. L. Kingsbury. 

104. The First Organized Government of Dakota, by 

Gov. Samuel J. Albright, with a preface by 
Judge Charles E. Flandrau. 

105. How Minnesota became a State, by Prof. Thomas 

F. Moran. 

106. Minnesota's Northern Boundary, by Alexander 

N. Winchell. 

107. The Question of the Sources of the Mississippi 

River, by Prof. E. Lavasseur. (Translated by 
Col. W. P. Clough.) 

108. The Source of the Mississippi, by Prof. N. H. 

Winchell. 

109. Prehistoric Man at the Headwaters of the Missis- 

sippi River (with plates), and an addendum re- 
lating to the early visits of Mr. Julius Cham- 
bers and the Rev. J. A. Gilfillan to Itasca Lake, 
by Hon. J. V. Brower. 

110. History of Minnesota, by Edward D. Neill. First 

Edition, 1858; has gone through four editions. 



262 History op Minnesota. 

111. Concise History of the State of Minnesota, by- 

Edward D. Neill, 1887. 

112. Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars, i86t- 

1865, prepared under the supervision of a com- 
mittee appointed by the legislature, 1890- 1893, 
in two volumes. 

113. History of the Sioux War and Massacres of 1862- 

1863, by Isaac V. D. Heard, 1865. 

114. A History of the Great Massacre by the Sioux In- 

dians in Minnesota, by Charles S. Bryant and 
Abel B. Murch, 1872. 

115. Minnesota Historical Society Collections, in eight 

volumes, 1850 to 1898, containing many of the 
above named works and papers. 

116. History of St. Paul, Minnesota, by Gen. Christo- 

pher C. Andrews, 1890. 

117. History of the City of Minneapolis, by Isaac At- 

water, in two volumes. 

118. Pen Pictures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Bio- 

graphical Sketches of Old Settlers, by T. M. 
Newson. 

119. Fifty Years in the Northwest, by W. H. C. Fol- 

som, 1888. 

120. The United States Biographical Dictionary and 

Portrait Gallery of Eminent and Self-Made 
Men, Minnesota Volume by Jeremiah Clem- 
mens, assisted by J. Fletcher Williams, 1879. 

121. Progressive Men of Minnesota, Biographical 

Sketches and Portraits, together with an his- 
torical and descriptive sketch of the state, by 
Marion D. Shutter and J. S. McLain, 1897. 

122. Biographical History of the Northwest, by Alon- 

zo Phelps, 1890. 



History of Minnesota. 263 

123. A History of the Republican Party, to which is 

added a political history of Minnesota from a 
Republican point of view, and biographical 
sketches of leading Minnesota Republicans, by 
Eugene V. Smalley. 

124. There are also many quarto histories of counties 

in Minnesota and of larger districts of the 
state, mostly published during the years 1880 
to 1890, including twenty counties, namely, 
Dakota, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Free- 
born, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, McLeod, 
Meeker, Olmsted, Pope, Ramsey, Rice, Steele, 
Stevens, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, and 
Winona, and five districts, namely, The St. 
Croix Valley, the Upper Mississippi Valley, 
the Minnesota Valley, the Red River Valley 
and Park Region, and Southern Minnesota. 

125. Winona and its Environs, by L. H. Bunnell, 1897, 

with maps and portraits. 

Among the Earliest Publications are : 

126. Minnesota and its Resources, by J. Wesley Bond, 

1853- 

127. Minnesota Year Books, 1851, 1852, 1853, by Wil- 

liam G. Le Due. 

128. Floral Home, or First Years of Minnesota, 1857, 

by Harriet E. Bishop. 

129. Narratives and Reports of Travels and Explora- 

tions, by Hennepin, Carver, Long and Keat- 
ing, Beltrami, Featherstonhaugh, Schoolcraft, 
Nicollet, Owen, Oliphant, Andrews, Seymour 
and others. 



264 History of Minnesota. 

130. For Geographic and Geologic descriptions of 

Minnesota, the reports of the geological and 
natural history survey are the most complete 
sources of information, by Prof. N. H. Win- 
chell, State Geologist, assisted by Warren Up- 
ham, Ulysses Sherman Grant, and others. The 
annual reports comprise twenty-three volumes, 
1872 to 1894, with another to be published. 
Several other volumes have been issued as bul- 
letins of the survey, on iron, mining, birds, 
mammals, and fishes. 

131. Four thousand two hundred and fifty bound vol- 

umes of Minnesota newspapers, embracing 
complete files of nearly all the newspapers ever 
published in Minnesota from first to last. 

132. One thousand seven hundred and two books and 

about fifteen hundred pamphlets relating in 
some way to Minnesota history. All these 
books can be found in the library of the Min- 
nesota Historical Society, which is always 
open to the public, free. 

133. Much historical and other information is contain- 

ed in the messages of the governors and re- 
ports of the various state officers, and especial- 
ly in the Legislative Manuals prepared for the 
use of the members of the legislature by the 
secretary of state, under chapter 122 of the 
General Laws of 1893, and former laws. These 
Manuals, and especially that of 1899, are re- 
plete with valuable statistics concerning the 
state, its history and resources. 

134. Illustrated History of Minnesota, by T. H. Kirk, 

M. L., 1887. 



History of Minnesota. 265 

135. Ancestry, Life and Times of Henry Hastings Sib- 

ley, by Nathaniel West, D. D., 1889. 

136. Minnesota and Dacotah in Letters descriptive of 

a Tour through the Northwest in the Autumn 
of 1856, with information relative to public 
lands and a table of statistics, by General C. C. 
Andrews. 

137. Lights and Shadows of a Long Episcopate by the 

Rt. Rev, Henry Benjamin Whipple, D. D., L. 
L. D., Bishop of Minnesota. 

138. Reminiscences, Memoirs and Lectures of Mon- 

signor A. Ravoux, V. G. 1890. 

139. Encyclopedia of Biography of Minnesota, with a 

History of Minnesota, by Judge Charles E. 
Flandrau. 



Finis. 



TALKS 



OF THE 



FRONTIER. 



TALES OF THE FRONTIER. 



HUNTING WOLVES IN BED. 

FORTY-SIX years ago, almost immediately after my 
arrival in St. Paul, I accepted an offer to explore the 
valley of the Minnesota river and its tributaries, with 
reference to finding out the character of its soil, timber, 
steamboat landings and other natural features, bearing 
upon the founding of a city. My attention was particu- 
larly directed to the point where St. Peter now stands, 
which had then acquired the name of Rock Bend, from 
a turn in the river in front of the prairie, with a rocky 
wall which presented a fine landing for steamboats. Of 
course, the valley was not a terra incognito when I en- 
tered it, but settlement was very sparse, and very Httle 
was known about it. Town-site speculation was rife, 
and any place that looked as if it would ever be settled 
was being pounced upon for a future city. There was 
not a railroad west of Chicago, and every town location 
was, of course, governed by the rivers. As strange as 
it may seem to the residents of the present day, the Min- 
nesota was then a navigable stream, capable of carrying 
large side wheel steamers several hundred miles above 
its mouth, and afterwards bore an immense commerce. 



270 Tales of the Frontier. 

As soon as the ice broke up in the sprinsf. the river 
would rise and overflow its banks clear to the bluffs on 
each side, making a stream of from five to six miles 
wide, and deep enough to float boats anywhere within 
its limits. 

A man by the name of William B. Dodd, better 
known as Captain Dodd in those days, had selected a 
claim at Rock Bend, covering the landing, and had laid 
out a road from the Mississippi to this point. He want- 
ed to interest capitalists to start a town on his claim, 
and had succeeded in gaining the attention of Willis A. 
Gorman, then governor of the territory, and several 
other gentlemen, but none of them had ever been up 
the valley, and reliable information was difilicult to ob- 
tain. It was true that Tom Holmes had laid out Shako- 
pee, and Henry Jackson and P. K. Johnson, with a syn- 
dicate behind them, had selected Mankato, and I think 
there was a settler or two at Le Sueur, but the whole val- 
ley may be said to have been at that time in the posses- 
sion of Indians, Indian traders and missionaries. 

The St. Paul gentlemen who had been approached 
by Captain Dodd engaged me to go, up the valley of the 
Minnesota river, and follow out all its tributaries, witli 
the idea of reporting upon its general characteristics and 
prospects, with reference to the founding of a city at 
Rock Bend. I was delighted to do anything, or go any- 
where, that promised work or adventure. It was to me 
what the Klondike has been to thousands recently. 
They furnished me with a good team, and away I went. 
It was in the winter, but I succeeded in reaching Tra- 
verse des Sioux, where I found a collection of Indian 
trading houses, where flourished Louis Roberts, Major 
Forbes, Nathan Myrick, Madison Sweetzer and others, 
who drove a trade with the Sioux. There was also at 



Tales of the Frontier. 271 

this point a missionary station, with a schoolhoiise, a 
church, and a substantial dwelling house, occupied by 
the Rev. Moses N. Adams, who had been a missionary 
among the Sioux, having been transferred from the sta- 
tion at Lac qui Parle, where he had lived for many years, 
to this point. But the best find that I made was a 
young Scotchman by the name of Stuart B. Garvie, who 
had a shanty on the prairie about midway between Tra- 
verse des Sioux and my objective point, Rock Bend. I 
think that Garvie went up there from St. Anthony, un- 
der some kind of a promise from Judge Chatfield, that 
if ever the courts were organized in that region he would 
be made clerk. Garvie was delighted to discover me, 
and I being in search of information, we soon fraterniz- 
ed, and he agreed to go with me on my tour of explora- 
tion. We went up the Blue Earth, the Le Sueur, the 
Watonwan, and, in fact, visited all the country that was 
necessary to convince me that it was, by and large, a 
splendid agricultural region, and I decided so to report 
to my principals. 

When I was about to leave for down the river, Garvie 
insisted that I should return and take up my abode at 
Traverse des Sioux. The proposition seemed too ab- 
surd to me to be seriously entertained, and I said : "I 
am destitute of funds, and how can a lawyer subsist 
where there are no people? How can I get a living?" 
This dilemma, which seemed to me to be insuperable, 
was easily answered by my new found friend. "Why," 
he said, "That is the easiest part of it. We can hunt a 
living, and I have a shack and a bed." The proposition 
was catching, having a spice of adventure in it, and I 
promised to consider it. 

After making my report, in which I recommended 



272 Tales of the Frontier. 

Rock Bend as a promising place for a great city, I told 
the parties who proposed to purchase Captain Dodd's 
claim that I would confirm my faith in the success of the 
enterprise by returning and living at the point. I did 
so, and found myself farther west than any lawyer in the 
United States east of the Rocky Mountains, unless he 
was in the panhandle of Texas. And now comes the 
singular way in which I made my first fee, if I may call 
it by that name. It was my first financial raise, no mat- 
ter what you call it. 

Garvie and I had gotten quietly settled in our shanty 
on the prairie, when one excessively cold night an Indian 
boy, about thirteen years of age, saw our light, and came 
to the door, giving us to understand that his people were 
encamped about four or five miles up the river, and that 
he was afraid to go any further lest he should freeze to 
death. He was mounted on a pony, had a pack of furs 
with him, and asked us to take him in for the night. We 
of course did so, and made him as comfortable as we 
could by giving him a buf¥alo robe on the floor. But 
we had no shelter for his pony, and all we could do was 
to hitch him on the lee side of the shanty, and strap a 
blanket on him. When morning came he was frozen to 
death. We got the poor little boy safely off on the way 
to his people's camp, and decided to utilize the carcass 
of the pony for a wolf bait. 

In order to present an intelligent idea of the situa- 
tion, I will say that the river made an immense detour in 
front of the future toiwn, having a large extent of bot- 
tom land, covered with a dense chaparral, which was 
the home of thousands of wolves, and as soon as night 
came they would start out in droves in search of prey. 

We hauled the dead pony out to the back of the 
shanty, and left it about two rods distant from the win- 



Tales of the Frontier. 273 

dow. The moment night set in the wolves in packs 
would attack the carcass. At first we would step out- 
side and fire into them with buck shot from double-bar- 
relled shotguns, but we found they were so wary that the 
mere movement of opening the door to get out would 
frighten them, and we had very limited success for the 
first few nights. Another difficulty we encountered was 
shooting in the dark. If you have never tried it, and 
ever do, you will find it exceedingly difficult to get any 
kind of an aim, and you have to fire promiscuously at the 
sound rather than the object. 

We remedied this trouble, however, by taking out a 
light of glass from the back window, and building a rest 
that bore directly on the carcass, so that we could poke 
our guns through the opening, settle them on the rest, 
and blaze away into the gloom. We brought our bed 
up to the window, so that we could shoot without get- 
ting out of it, while snugly wrapped up in our blankets. 
After this our luck improved, and after each discharge 
we would rush out, armed with a tomahawk, dispatch 
the wounded wolves, and collect the dead ones, until 
we had slaughtered forty-two of them. We skinned 
them, and sold the pelts to the traders for seventy-five 
cents a piece, which money was the first of our earn- 
ings. 

It was not long before we ceased to depend on wolf 
hunting for a living, as immigration soon poured in, 
and money became plenty. I remember soon after of 
having seventeen hundred dollars in gold buried in an 
oyster can under the shanty. 

I lived on this prairie for eleven years, and never was 
happier at any period of my life, and feel assured that I 
can safely say that no other man ever enjoyed the lux- 
ury of hunting wolves in bed. 
18 



274 Tales of the Frontier. 

The pleasure of narrating- such adventures for the 
present generation is, in this instance, marred by the re- 
flection that both Captain Dodd and my old friend Gar- 
vie were killed by the Indians in 1862, the former while 
gallantly fighting at the battle of New Ulm, and the lat- 
ter at the Yellow Medicine Agency, on the first day of 
the outbreak. 




Tales of the Frontier. 275 



THE POISONED WHISKY. 

I WAS told by a gentleman at my club the other day 
that he had read in some magazine that the British 
army had blown open the tomb of the Mahdi in upper 
Africa, and had mutilated the'body, cutting ofif the head 
and sending it to England in a kerosene can. I could 
hardly believe the story, but he vouched for having read 
it in a reputable publication, and being a strong hater of 
the English, affirmed his unqualified faith in the state- 
ment. Notwithstanding his position, it seemed to me 
incredible that such an act of barbarism could be perpe- 
trated by the disciplined soldiery of a civilized nation in 
the nineteenth century. The conversation so impressed 
me that I could not drive it out of my mind, and I kept 
revolving^ it and making comparisons with events in my 
own experience, until I concluded that it is more than 
probable that it took place as related, and have since 
learned that it actually occurred. 

I have seen a good deal of ferocity and savagism, and 
it was not at all confined to people acknowledged to be 
barbarians. I remember an instance where I came very 
near being a party to a scheme, the brutality of which 
would have made the mutilation of the dead Mahdi com- 
mendable in comparison ; but fortunately my better na- 
ture and second thought overcame my passions, and I 
was spared the perpetration of the awful crime, the re- 
membrance of which, had it been committed, would un- 
doubtedly have haunted me through life. 

Many of the older settlers of Minnesota will remem- 
ber the horrors of the Indian massacre and war of 1862, 



276 Tales of the Frontier. 

when the Sioux attacked our exposed frontiers, and in 
a day and a half massacred quite a thousand people. 
They spared neither age nor sex. It was like all such 
savage outbreaks, — a war against the race and the 
blood. These atrocities extended over a large and 
sparsely inhabited area of country, and were usually per- 
petrated at the houses of the settlers by the slaughter of 
the entire family, sometimes varied by the seizure of 
the women, and carrying them off into captivity, which 
in most instances was worse than death. Every char- 
acter of mutilation and outrage that could be suggested 
by the inflamed passions of a savage were resorted to, 
and so horrible were they that it would shock and dis- 
gust the reader should I attempt to describe them. This 
condition of things was no surprise to me, because it 
was to be expected from savages ; but the more we saw 
and heard of it, the more exasperated and angered we 
became, and the more we vowed vengeance should the 
opportunity come. 

I resided on the frontier at the time the outbreak oc- 
curred, and murders were committed within eight miles 
of my home before I heard of it, which was on the morn- 
ing of the second day. I, of course, immediately, after 
disposing of my impedimenta in the shape of women and 
children, took the field against the enemy, and by nine 
o'clock in the evening of the same day that I heard of 
the trouble I found myself at the town of New Ulm, a 
German settlement on the frontier, the extreme outpost 
of civilization, in command of over one hundred men, 
armed and ready for battle. We had raised and equipped 
the company and travelled thirty-two miles since the 
morning. 

When we entered the town it was being attacked by 
a squad of Indians, about one hundred strong, who had 



Tales of the Frontier. 277 

already burned a number of houses and were firing upon 
the inhabitants, having- already killed several. We soon 
dislodged the enemy, put out the fires, and settled down 
to await events. This was on Tuesday, the 19th of Au- 
gust. We strengthened the barricades about the town, 
and did all we could to prepare for a second attack, 
which we knew would certainly come, and from the 
combined forces of the enemy, and which did come on 
the following Saturday. While waiting, numerous 
squads of whites from the surrounding country reen- 
forced us, and it soon became apparent that someone 
must be put in command of the whole force, to prevent 
disorders on the part of the men, as whisky was abun- 
dant and free. The honor of the command fell upon me 
by election of the officers of the various companies, and 
in the choice of a rank for myself my modesty restrained 
me to that of colonel. I have often thought since that 
I lost the opportunity of my life, as I might just as easily 
have assumed the title of major general. 

Every day we sent out scouting expeditions, and 
brought in refugees, men, women and children, who 
were in hiding or wounded, and in the most pitiable con- 
dition. From these we learned of many additional 
atrocities, which kept our passions and desire for re- 
venge at fever heat. On Saturday, the 23d, the Indians 
who had been all the week besieging Fort Ridgely, 
abandoned that quest, and came down upon us in full 
force. The attack commenced about half-past nine 
o'clock on Saturday morning, and the fight raged hotly 
and viciously for about thirty hours without cessation. 
I lost in the first hour and a half ten killed and fifty 
wounded, out of a command of not more than 250 guns. 
On the afternoon of the next day the Indians gradually 
disappeared toward the north, and gave us a breathing 



278 TaIvEs of the Frontier. 

spell, and then a relief company arrived and the fighting- 
ceased. 

On Monday amniunition and provisions were get- 
ting short, and fearing a renewal of the attack, I decided 
to evacuate the town, and go down the Minnesota river 
to Mankato, a distance of about thirty miles over an 
open prairie. We had nearly fifteen hundred women 
and children to take care of, and about eighty wounded 
men. The caravan consisted of 153 wagons, drawn by 
horses and oxen; the troops being on foot, and so dis- 
posed as to make a good defense if attacked. 

Everything being ready for a start, some one sug- 
gested to me to set a trap for the Indians, when they 
should enter the town after our departure, as we all sup- 
posed they would, there beinsf an immense amount of 
loot left behind, — stores full of goods of all kinds, and 
many other things of value to the savage. 

I had, the day before, put a stop to some of the 
younger men scalping the eight or ten dead Indians who 
had been dragged into the town from where they had 
been killed, regarding it as barbarous. The boys would 
take off a small piece of scalp, and with its long black 
hair, tie it into their button-holes, as a souvenir to take 
home with them. 

What do you think was the nature of the trap that 
was proposed to catch the Indians? It makes my blood 
run cold to think of it, and so disgraceful and diabolical 
was it that, in all I have said and written about this war 
in the last thirty-six years, I have never had courage to 
mention) it. Yet as awful as it was, so incensed was I at 
all the devilish cruelty that had been perpetrated on our 
people that I at first consented to it, and we went so far 
as actually to set the trap. 

It was proposed to expose a barrel of whisky in a 



Tales of the Frontier. 279 

conspicuous place, and put enough strychnine in it to 
destroy the whole Sioux nation, and then label it "poi- 
son" in all the languages spoken in our polyglot coun- 
try, so that should the first comers be whites they would 
avoid it, but if Indians, we might have the satisfaction 
of exterminating them. We actually went so far as to 
place the barrel where it would attract anyone who 
should be looking about the main street, which was all 
that was left of the town, and labelled it in French, Eng- 
lish, German, Italian, Swedish and Norwegian, and then 
put into it eight or ten bottles of strychnine, prepared 
for destroying wolves, and were about leaving when the 
thought flashed through my mind: "Suppose a relief 
squad should be sent to us, and should think the whole 
matter a joke to cheat ,them out of a drink, and should 
sample it and die, as they certainly would, we never 
could forgive ourselves, and would be really their mur- 
derers." My knowledge of the fact that a soldier who 
had made a long march on a hot day would take big 
chances for a drink, heightened my apprehension on this 
view of the subject, and the more I thought the matter 
over, the more devilish it appeared to me, even if we 
caught only Indians. I actually felt as though I would 
be ashamed to meet the spirit of even a savage enemy 
whom I had disposed of in such a cowardly manner, 
should we finally be consigned to the same happy hunt- 
ing grounds, so I took an axe and knocked the head of 
the barrel in, and let the contents into the street. While 
I deeply regretted the loss of so much good whisky, I 
have never thought of the occurrence since without in- 
wardly rejoicing that my better nature and judgment 
prevented me from committing such an offense against 
all the laws of honor, humanity and civilization. It 
turned out that the first arrival was a squad sent by Gen- 



280 Tales of the Frontier. 

eral Sibley to our relief, and from what I know of some 
of the men composing it, I am quite certain that the 
warning" would have been disregarded. The circum- 
stance, however, proves how deeply the savage instinct 
is imbedded in human nature, whatever the color of the 
skin. "Give us strength to resist temptation," has been 
my prayer ever since. 




Tales of the Frontier. 281 



FUN IN A BLIZZARD. 

THE winter of 1856, in Minnesota, was characterized 
by the usual amount of cold weather, snow and 
storms, and people operating on the frontier were com- 
pelled to exercise great care and caution to prevent disas- 
ters. All old timers who have had occasion to live be- 
yond the settlements and travel long distances in an open 
prairie country well know that the danger of being over- 
taken by storms is one of the most terrible that one can 
be exposed to. Most of the casualties, however, that re- 
sult from being caught in these storms may be attri- 
buted to want of experience, and consequent lack of 
preparation to meet and contend with them. I have em- 
ployed many men of all nationalities in teaming long 
distances on the prairie frontier in the winter season, 
and while the American is always reliable and dexterous 
in emergencies, I have found the French Canadian al- 
ways the best equipped for winter prairie work, in his 
knowledge in this line that can only be gained by ex- 
perience. His ancestors served the early fur companies 
from Montreal to McKenzie's river, from Hudson's bay 
to the Pacific, and knew how to take care of themselves 
with the unerring instinct of the cariboo and the moose, 
and the generation of them that I came in contact with 
had inherited all these characteristics. 

I have known a brigade of teams, manned by Ger- 
mans, Englishmen and Irishmen (the Scandinavians had 
then just begun to make their appearance in the North- 
west) to be caught in a winter storm, and result in the 
amputation of fingers, toes, feet and hands from freez- 



282 Tales op the Frontier. 

ing, but I cannot remember ever losing a Canadian 
Frenchman. I recall one instance, where a train was 
overtaken by a severe storm just about evening, where 
no timber was in sight. The men built barricades v^dth 
their sleds and loads, and took refuge to the leeward of 
them, where they passed quite a comfortable night for 
themselves and their teams. With the coming of the 
morning light they discovered a timber island not very 
far off, and started for it with their horses, to make fires, 
feed the teams, and get breakfast. The storm had 
abated, and the sun shone brilliantly. One young 
American lad shouldered a sack of oats, and not realiz- 
ing that it was very cold, did not put on his mittens, but 
seized the neck of the sack with his bare hand. When 
he arrived at the timber all his fingers were frozen, and 
had to be amputated. It was merely one of the cases of 
serious injury I have known arising from ignorance. 

No one who has not encountered a blizzard on the 
open prairie can form an adequate idea of the almost 
hopelessness of the situation. The air becomes filled 
with driving, whirling snow to such an extent that it 
is with difficulty you can see your horses, and the effect 
is the same as absolute darkness in destroying all con- 
ception of direction. You may think you are going 
straight forward when in fact you are moving in a small 
circle ; the only safety is to stop and battle it out. 

I remember a case which happened in this region be- 
fore it became Minnesota which fully proves the dangers 
of a blizzard to a traveler on the open prairie. Martin 
McLeod and Pierre Bottineau, together with an Eng- 
lishman and a Pole, started from Fort Garry for the 
headwaters of the Minnesota river. They were well 
equipped in all respects, having a good dog train, and, 
in Bottineau, one of the most experienced guides in the 



Tales of the Frontier. 283 

Northwest. While the party was in sight of timber it 
was suddenly enveloped in a bhzzard, and, of course, 
wanted to reach the timber for safety. Here a contro- 
versy arose as to the direction to be taken to find it, the 
Englishman and the Pole insisting on one line, and Mc- 
Leod and Bottineau on another. They separated. Mc- 
Leod took the dogs, and he and they soon fell over a 
precipice and were covered up in a deep snow drift, 
where they remained quite comfortably through the 
night. Bottineau through his instincts reached the tim- 
ber, and was safe, where he was joined the next morning 
by McLeod. The Englishman was afterwards discov- 
ered so badly frozen that he died, while the Pole was 
lost. The only trace of him that was ever discovered 
was his pistols, which were found on the prairie the next 
spring, the wolves having undoubtedly disposed of his 
remains. 

The remedy for these dangers is to avoid them by a 
close scrutiny of the weather, and by never venturing on 
a big prairie if you can by any means avoid it, and always 
being abundantly supplied with food for yourself and 
animals, whether horses or dogs, besides fuel, matches, 
blankets, robes, and all the paraphernalia of a snow 
camp, should you have to make one. No people are 
more careful in these particulars than the Indians them- 
selves, from whom the French voyageurs undoubtedly 
learned their lessons. 

To give an idea of how treacherous the weather may 
be, and of what dangers frontier people are subjected to, 
I will relate an adventure in which I participated when 
living in the Indian country, which, however, turned out 
pleasantly. I had been at my Redwood agency for sev- 
eral days, and it became important that I should visit my 
upper agency, situated on the Yellow Medicine river, 



284 Tales of the Frontier. 

about thirty miles distant, up the Minnesota river. After 
crossing the Redwood river, the road led over a thirty- 
mile prairie, without a shrub on it as big as a walking- 
stick. The day was bright and beautiful, and the ride 
promised to be a pleasant one, so I invited my surgeon, 
Dr. Daniels, and his wife to accompany me. They 
gladly accepted, and Mrs. Daniels took her baby along. 
(By the way, this baby is now the elder sister of the wife 
of one of our most distinguished attorneys, Mr. John 
V. I. Dodd.) Mr. Andrew Myrick, a trader at the 
agency, learning that we were going, decided to ac- 
company us, and got up his team for the purpose, tak- 
ing some young friends with him, and off we went. 

I had early taken the precaution to construct a 
sleigh especially adapted to winter travel in this expos- 
ed region. It had recesses where were stowed away 
provisions, fuel, tools, and .many things to meet possi- 
ble emergencies. The cushions were made of twelve 
pairs of four-point Mackinaw blankets, and the side 
rails were capable of carrying two carcasses of venison 
or mutton, so I felt quite capable of conquering a bliz- 
zard. 

I may say here that I had a surgeon at each agency, 
who were brothers. Dr. Asa W. Daniels at the lower 
agency and Dr. Jared Daniels at the upper, and this ex- 
cursion presented a pleasant opportunity for the fami- 
lies to meet. The upper agency was in charge of my 
chief farmer, a Scotch gentleman by the name of Rob- 
ertson. He was a mystery which I never unravelled, — 
a handsome, aristocratic, highly educated man about 
seventy years of age, with the manners of a Chesterfield. 
He had been in the Indian country for many years, had 
married a squaw, and raised a numerous family of chil- 
dren, and had been in the employment of the govern- 



Tales of the Frontier. 285 

ment ever since the making of the treaties. I always 
thought he once was a man of fortune, who had dissi- 
pated it in some way, after travelling the world over, 
and had sought oblivion in the wilds of America. 

There was a large comfortable log house at the Yel- 
low Medicine agency, occupied by Robertson, which 
answered for all his purposes, both business and domes- 
tic, and furnished a home and ofifice for me when I hap- 
pened to be there; and on one occasion, during the 
Ink-pa-du-ta excitement, I found it made a very effi- 
cient fort for defense against the Indians. 

Our trip was uneventful, and we arrived in the even- 
ing. That night a blizzard sprang up that exceeded in 
severity anything of the kind in my experience, and I 
have had nearly half a century of Minnesota winters. 
It raged and rampaged. It piled the snow on the prai- 
rie in drifts of ten and twenty feet in height. It filled 
the river bottoms to the height of about three feet on 
the level. It lasted about ten days, during which time, we 
of course, did not dream of getting out, but amused our- 
selves as best we could. It was what the French called 
a poiidre de riz, where there is more snow in the air than 
on the ground. Although I have been entertained in 
many parts of the world, and by many various kinds of 
people, I can say that I never enjoyed a few weeks more 
satisfactorily than those we spent under compulsion at 
the Yellow Medicine river on that occasion. 

Personal association with Mr, Robertson was not 
only a delight, but an education. He had been every- 
where, and knew everything. He was charming in con- 
versation and magnificent in hospitality, and the unique 
nature of his entertainment under his savage environ- 
ments lent an additional charm to the situation. He 
soon became aware that we needed something exciting 



286 Tales of the Frontier. 

to sustain us in our enforced imprisonment, and he pro- 
duced fiddlers and half-breed women for dancing. He 
gave us every day a dinner party composed of viands 
unknown outside of the frontier of North America. One 
day we would have the tail of the beaver, always regard- 
ed as a great delicacy on the border ; the next, the paws 
of the bear soused, which, when served on a white dish, 
very much resembled the foot of a negro, but were 
good ; then, again, roasted muskrat, which in the winter 
is as delicate as a young chicken ; then fricasseed skunk, 
which, in season, is free from all offensive odor, and ex- 
tremely delicate, — all served with le riz sauvage. In 
fact, he exhausted the resources of the country to make 
us happy. 

But Robertson's menu was the least part of it. 
Every evening he would assemble us, and read Shakes- 
peare and the poetry of Burns to us. I never under- 
stood or enjoyed Burns until I heard it read and ex- 
pounded by Robertson. 

The time passed in this pleasant fashion until we 
commenced to think we were "snowed in" for the win- 
ter, and I began to devise ways and means for getting 
out. I had to get out ; but how, was the question. To 
cross the prairie was not to be thought of ; we could not 
get an Indian to venture over it on snowshoes, let alone 
driving over it. Nothing had been heard of us below, 
and, as we learned afterwards, the St. Paul papers had 
published an account of our all being frozen to death, 
with full details of Andrew Myrick being found dead in 
his sleigh, with the lines in his hands and his horses 
standing stiff before him. 

I decided that an expedition might work its way 
through on the river bottoms, and we could follow in 
its trail. So I sent out a party with several heavy sleds, 



Tales of the Frontier. 287 

loaded with hay, and each drawn by four or five yoke of 
oxen to beat a track. They returned after several days' 
absence, and reported that the thing was impossible, 
and they could not get through. I then called for vol- 
unteers, and the French Canadians came to the front. 
I allowed them to organize their own expedition. They 
took their fiddles with them, and the agreement was, 
that if we didn't hear from them in five days, we were to 
consider that they were through, and we could follow. 
The days passed one after the other, and at the expira- 
tion of the time, we all started, and laboriously followed 
the trail they had beaten. We noticed their camps from 
day to day, and saw that they had not been distressed, 
and found them, at the end of the journey, as jolly as 
such people always are, whether in sunshine or storm. 

It is much more agreeable to write about blizzards 
than to encounter them. 



288 Tales op the Frontier. 



LAW AND LATIN. 

IN the beginning of the settlement of the Minnesota 
valley, in the early fifties, a man named Tom Cowan 
located at Traverse des Sioux. His name will be at once 
recognized by all the old settlers. He was a Scotch- 
man, and had been in business in Baltimore. Financial 
difficulties had driven him to the West, to begin life 
anew and grow up with the country. He was a very 
well read and companionable man, and exceedingly 
bright by nature, and at once became very popular with 
the people. His first venture was in the fur trade, but 
not knowing anything about it, his success was not 
brilliant. I remember that he once paid an immense 
price for a very large black bearskin, thinking he had 
struck a bonanza. He kept it on exhibition, until one 
day John S. Prince, who was an experienced fur buyer, 
dropped in, and after listening to Cowan's eulogy on his 
bear skin, quietly remarked: "He bear; not worth a 
d — n," which decision induced Tom to abandon the fur 
trade. 

There being no lawyer but one at Traverse des 
Sioux, and I having been elected to the supreme bench, 
Mr. Cowan decided to study law, and open an office for 
the practice of that profession. He accordingly pro- 
posed that he should study with me, which idea I 
strongly encouraged, and after about six weeks of dili- 
gent reading, principally devoted to the statutes, I ad- 
mitted him to the bar, and he fearlessly announced him- 
self as an attorney and counselor at law. In this ven- 
ture he was phenomenally successful. He was a fine 



Tales of the Frontier. 289 

speaker, made an excellent argument on facts, and soon 
stood high in the profession. He took a leading part 
in politics, was made register of deeds of his county, 
went to the legislature, and was nominated for lieuten- 
ant governor of the state after its admission into the 
Union; but, of course, in all his practice he was never 
quite certain about the law of his cases. This deficiency 
was made up by dash and brilliancy, and he got along 
swimmingly. 

One day he came to my office and said : "J^dgey, 
I am going to try a suit at Le Sueur to-morrow that in- 
volves $2,500. It is the biggest suit we have ever had 
in the valley, and I think it ought to have some Latin in 
it, and I want you to furnish me with that ingredient." 
I said : "Tom, what is it all about? I must know what 
kind of a suit it is before I can supply the Latin appro- 
priately, and especially as I am not very much up in 
Latin myself." 

He said the suit was on an insurance policy ; that he 
was defending on the ground of misrepresentations 
made by the insured on the making of the policy, and he 
must have some Latin to illustrate and strengthen his 
point. 

I mulled over the proposition, looked up some 
books on maxims, and finally gave him this, "Non haec 
in federe veni," which I translated to mean, "I did not 
enter into this contract." He was delighted, and said 
there ought to be no doubt of success with the aid of 
this formidable weapon, and made me promise to ride 
down with him to hear him get it off. So the next day 
we started, and in crossing the Le Sueur prairie. Cowan 
was hailed by a man who said he was under arrest for 
having kicked a man out of his house for insulting his 

19 



290 Tales of the Frontier. 

family, and he wanted Tom to defend him. The jus- 
tice's court was about a mile from the road, in a carpen- 
ter shop, the proprietor of which was the justice. Tom 
told him to demand a jury, and he would stop on his 
way back and help him out. 

When we arrived at Le Sueur we found that the case 
could not be heard that day, and, starting homeward, 
about four o'clock we reached the carpenter shop. 
There we found the jury awaiting us. We hitched the 
team, and I spread myself comfortably on a pile of shav- 
ings to witness the legal encounter. The complaining 
party proved his case. Cowan put his client on the wit- 
ness stand, and showed the provocation. Then he ad- 
dressed the jury. His defense was, want of criminal in- 
tent. He dwelt eloquently on the point that the gist of 
the offense was the intent with which the act was com- 
mitted, and when it appeared that the act was justified, 
there could be no crime. Then, casting a quizzical 
glance at me, he struck a tragic attitude, and thundered 
out: "Gentlemen of the jury, it is indelibly recorded 
in all the works of Roman jurisprudence, 'Non haec in 
federe veni,' which means there can be no crime without 
criminal intent." The effect was electrical; the jury ac- 
quitted the prisoner, and we drove home fully convinced 
that the law was not an exact science. With what ef- 
fect Tom utilized his Latin in the insurance suit I have 
forgotten, or was never advised. 



Tales of the Frontier. 291 



INDIAN STRATEGY. 

IN the summer of 1856 I had the celebrated battery 
commanded by Major T. W. Sherman of the United 
States Army (better known as the Buena Vista Battery, 
from the good work it did in the Mexican war) on duty 
in the Indian country, on account of a great excitement 
which prevailed among the Indians. The officers of 
the battery were Major Sherman, First Lieutenant 
Ayer, and Second Lieutenant Du Barry. Its force of 
men was about sixty, including noncommissioned of- 
ficers. I think it had four guns, but of this I am not 
certain. 

One day, after skirmishing about over considerable 
country, we made a camp on the Yellow Medicine river, 
near a fine spring, and everything seemed comfortable. 
The formation of the camp was a square, with the guns 
and tents inside, and a sort of a picket hne on all sides 
about a hundred yards from the center, on which the 
sentinels marched day and night. I tented with the 
major, and seeing that the Indians were allowed to 
come inside of the picket Hnes with their guns in their 
hands, I took the liberty of saying to him that I did 
not consider such a poHcy safe, because the Indians 
could, at a concerted signal, each pick out his man and 
shoot him down, and then where would the battery be? 
But the major's answer was, "Oh, we must not show 
any timidity." So I said no more, but it was just such 
misplaced confidence that afterwards cost General Can- 
by his life among the Modocs, when he was shot down 
by Captain Jack, Things went on quietly, until one 



292 Tales of the Frontier. 

day a young soldier went down to the spring with his 
bucket and dipper for water, and an Indian who desired 
to make a name for himself among his fellows followed 
him stealthily, and when he was in a stooping posture, 
filling his bucket, came up behind him, and plunged a 
long knife into his neck, intending, of course, to kill 
him; but as luck would have it, the knife struck his col- 
larbone and doubled up, so the Indian could not with- 
draw it. The shock nearly prostrated the soldier, but 
he succeeded in reaching camp. The major immediate- 
ly demanded the surrender of the guilty party, and he 
was given up by the Indians. I noticed one thing, how- 
ever; no more Indians were allowed inside the lines 
with their guns in their hands. 

When the prisoner was brought into camp a guard 
tent was established, and he was confined in it, with ten 
men to stand guard over him. These men were each 
armed with the minie rifle which was first introduced 
into the army, and which was quite an effective weapon. 

While all this was going on, we were holding pow- 
pcws every day with the Indians, endeavoring to 
straighten out and clear up all the vexed questions be- 
tween us. The manner of holding a council was to se- 
lect a place on the prairie, plant an American flag in the 
center, and all hands squat down in a circle around it. 
Then the speechifying would commence, and last for 
hours without any satisfactory results. Anyone who 
has had much experience in Indian councils is aware of 
the hopelessness of arriving at a termination of the dis- 
cussion. It very much resembles Turkish diplomacy. 
But the weather was pleasant, and everybody was pa- 
tient. 

The Indians, however, were concocting plans all this 
time to effect the escape of the prisoner in the guard- 



Tales of the Frontier. 293 

house. So one day they sugfg^ested a certain place for 
the holding of the council, giving some plausible reason 
for the change of location, and when the time arrived, 
everybody assembled, and the ring was formed. Those 
present consisted of all the traders. Superintendent Cul- 
len, Major Sherman, Lieutenant Ayer, — in fact, all the 
white men at the agency, — and about one hundred In- 
dians, ever>'one of whom had a gun in his hands. I had 
warned the major frequently not to allow an Indian to 
ccme into council with a gun, but he deemed it better 
not to show any timidity, and they were not prohibited. 
The council on this occasion was held about four hun- 
dred yards from the battery camp, and on lower ground, 
but with no obstruction between them. The scheme of 
the savages was to spring to their feet on a concerted 
signal and begin firing their guns all around the council 
circle, so as to create a great excitement and bring ev- 
eryone to his feet, and just at this moment the prisoner 
in the guardhouse was to make a run in the direction 
of the council, keeping exactly between the guard and 
the whites in the council ring, believing that the soldiers 
would not fire for fear of killing their own people. When 
the time arrived every Indian in the ring jumped to 
his feet and fired in the air, creating a tremendous fu- 
silade, and as had been expected, the most frightful 
panic followed, and everyone thinking that a general 
massacre of the whites had begun, they scattered in all 
directions. Instantly the prisoner ran for the crowd, and 
an Indian can sprint like a deer. Contrary to expecta- 
tions, every one of the ten guards opened fire on him, 
and seven of them hit him, but curiously not one of the 
wounds stopped his progress, and he got away; but 
the bullets went over and among the whites, one 
ricochetting through the coat of Major Cullen. The 



294 Tales op the Frontier. 

prisoner never was caug"ht, but I heard a preat deal 
about him afterwards. His exploit of stabbing the sol- 
dier and his almost miraculous escape made him one of 
the most celebrated medicine men of his band, and he 
continued to work wonders thenceforth. 

After the return of the battery I was informed by 
my close friends among the Indians that they had sat on 
the hills overlooking the camp and concocted all kinds 
of schemes to take it, the principal one of which was to 
fill bladders with water, and pour them over the touch- 
holes of the guns, and, as they supposed, render them 
useless, and then open fire on the men. Fortunately 
nothing of the kind was tried, but I was convinced that 
no one can be too cautious when in the country of a 
savage enemy. A good lesson can be learned from 
this narrative by the people now occupying the country 
of the Fihpinos. 

One pleasing circumstance resulted from the pres- 
ence of this battery in the Indian country. About thir- 
ty years after the occurrences I have been narrating I 
had occasion to transact some business with the adju- 
tant general of our state at his office in the capitol, and 
after completing it I was about to retire, when the gen- 
eral said to me : "Judge, you don't seem to remember 
me." I replied: "General, did I ever have the pleas- 
ure of your acquaintance?" "Not exactly," he said, 
"but don't you remember the time when you had the 
old Sherman Battery in the field, with its tall first ser- 
geant?" I said: "I recall the event quite clearly, but 
not the sergeant." He said: "One day, after a long, 
hot march, I was laying out the camp, and you were sit- 
ting on your horse observing the operation, when 
you noticed me and called me to you, and pulling a flask 
from your pocket or holster, you asked me to take a 



Tales of the Frontier. 295 

drink. That is a long- time ago, but I remember it as 
the best drink I ever had, and I always associate you 
pleasantly with it." The tall sergeant had matured into 
a most dignified and charming gentleman, with whom I 
have ever since enjoyed the most agreeable relations. 

The moral of this story is, that when you are in the 
country of hostile savages, never accept any confidences 
or take any chances, and when you have more drinks 
than you can conveniently absorb, divide with your 
neighbor. 




296 Tales of the Frontier. 



THE FIRST STATE ELECTION RETURNS 
FROM PEMBINA. 

THE State of Wisconsin was admitted into the Union 
in the year 1848, with the St. Croix river as its west- 
ern boundary. This arrangement left St. Paul, St. An- 
thony, Stillwater, Marine, Taylor's Falls and other settle- 
ments, which had sprung up in Wisconsin west of the St. 
Croix, without any government. The inhabitants of 
these communities immediately sought ways and means 
to extricate themselves from the dilemma in which they 
were placed. There were a great many men among 
them of marked ability and influence — Henry M. Rice, 
Henry H. Sibley, Morton S. Wilkinson, Henry L. Moss, 
John McKusick, Joseph R. Brown, Martin McLeod, 
Wm. R. Marshall and others. Differences of opinion 
existed as to whether the remnant of Wisconsin on the 
west side of the St. Croix still remained the Territory of 
Wisconsin or whether it was a kind of "no man's land," 
without a government of any kind. Governor Dodge 
of the territory had been elected to the senate of the 
United States for the new state. The delegate to con- 
gress had resigned, and the government of the territory 
had been cast upon the secretary, Mr. John Catlin, who 
became governor ex-officio on the vacancy happening 
in the ofifice of governor. He lived in Madison, in the 
new state, and would have to move over th.e line into 
the deserted section if he proposed to exercise the func- 
tions of his office. A correspondence was opened with 
him, and he was invited to come to Stillwater, and pro- 
claim the existence of the territory by calling an elec- 



Tai^es of the Frontier. 297 

tion for a delegate to congress from Wisconsin Terri- 
tory. He accepted the call, moved to Stillwater, and in 
the month of September, 1848, issued his proclamation. 
An election was held in November following, and Hen- 
ry H. Sibley was chosen delegate from Wisconsin Terri- 
tory to the congress of the United States. 

Sibley procured the passage of an act, on March 3, 
1849, organizing the Territory of Minnesota, and we 
have had regular elections ever since. 

There is a little unwritten history connected with the 
transaction above related. The principal citizens west 
of the St. Croix fixed things up among the settlements 
in a manner entirely satisfactory to themselves. They 
divided the prospective spoils about as follows : Sibley 
lived at Mendota, and that place was to have the dele- 
gate to congress, St. Paul was to have the capital, Still- 
water the penitentiary, and St. Anthony the university, 
which comprised all there was to divide. The program 
was faithfully carried out, and has been maintained ever 
since, although various attempts have been made to 
violate the treaty by the removal of the capital from St. 
Paul ; but I am glad to be able to say, in behalf of hon- 
esty and fair dealing, none of them have been successful. 

The existence of this unwritten treaty has been de- 
nied, but there are men yet living in the state who took 
part in it, and have publicly affirmed its authenticity. 
Judge Douglas of Illinois, when chairman of the senate 
committee on territories, insisted on placing the capital 
at Mendota, with the building on the top of Pilot Knob, 
and had it not been for the stern integrity of Sibley, 
he would have succeeded, to the everlasting inconveni- 
ence and discomfort of our people. 

There were really no politics worthy of the name 
during the years of the territory. All the principal of- 



298 Tales of the Frontier. 

fices were filled by appointment by the general govern- 
ment, and the rest of them determined by personal ri- 
valries. The main business of the territory was the fur 
trade, carried on by warring companies, whose chief fac- 
tors sought office more for the sake of its influence on 
their business than for the principles they represented. 

I remember one year the legislature, in a spasm of 
virtue, passed a prohibitory liquor law, which the su- 
preme court, under the influence of a counter spasm, im- 
mediately set aside as unconstitutional. Outside of the 
cities, where the missionaries exerted a strong influence, 
the contention was usually whisky or no whisky ; in fact, 
there was very little else to fight about. 

The first government was appointed by the Whigs 
(the Republican party being yet unborn), and as Gov- 
ernor Ramsey was from Pennsylvania, we had a great 
influx of immigration from that state. The second gov- 
ernor (Gorman) was appointed by the Democrats, and 
came from Indiana, and the people of that state being 
much more migratory than the Pennsylvanians, we 
were flooded with Hoosiers. These various influences 
caused differences of opinion and interests sufficient to 
keep the political pot boiling quite lively, but on lines 
that were necessarily personal and temporary in their 
bearing. We soon, however, approached the more im- 
portant subject of statehood, and, strange as it may 
seem to the present generation, the question of slavery 
was a strong factor. The Republican party was born 
about 1854, and as its principal creed was opposition 
to the extension of slavery, its followers naturally 
forced the subject into the politics of the day. I 
can, however, positively affirm that no one of any po- 
litical faith had the slightest idea of introducing 
slavery into Minnesota. A constitution for the pro- 



Tales o? the Frontier. 299 

posed state was framed in 1857, and in the fall of that 
year the election for the officers of the first state govern- 
ment was held, and, of course, great interest was mani- 
fested as to the result. The general election was fixed by 
law for November in all of the counties of the territory 
except one. The county of Pembina was so distant 
from the capital that it was found to be difficult to get 
the returns in so as to be counted with those of the rest 
of the state. The only transportation between the two 
places was by Red River carts, drawn by oxen in the 
summer, and by dog trains in the winter ; the distance to 
be travelled was about four hundred miles, and the time 
necessary to compass it nearly or quite a month. The 
legislature had, in 1853, in order to remedy this diffi- 
culty, and because the population was on its annual buf- 
falo hunt in November, passed an act fixing the time for 
holding elections in the county of Pembina on the sec- 
ond Tuesday in September in each year, thus giving 
ample opportunity to get the returns to the authorities 
in St. Paul in time to be counted with those from the 
other districts. The result of this was that no one out- 
side of Pembina ever knew how many votes had been 
polled in that district until long after the rest of the ter- 
ritory had been heard from, and it became a common 
saying among the Whigs that the Pembina returns were 
held back until it became known how many votes were 
necessary to carry the election for the Democrats, and 
that they were fixed accordingly, which the Democrats 
denounced as a Whig lie. 

About all that was known of Pembina was that it 
was inhabited by a savage looking race of Chippewa 
half-breeds, and that Joe Rolette lived there, and Nor- 
man W. Kittson went there occasionally. It carried on 
an immense trade in furs with St. Paul, by means of 



300 Tales of the Frontier. 

brigades of Red River carts each summer and by dog 
trains in the v/inter, and the more you saw of these peo- 
ple the more you were impressed with their savage ap- 
pearance and bearing. 

The first state election, curious as it may appear, was 
held in 1857, before the state was admitted into the 
Union, which latter event was postponed until May 1 1 , 
1858, and when the votes from all the counties except 
Pembina had been returned to the proper officer the re- 
sult, as far as could be ascertained before the official 
count was made, was somewhat in doubt, which circum- 
stance naturally excited great interest in the Pembina 
election, as it was well known that all the votes from 
that district would be Democratic, so the great ques- 
tion wias, "How many?" 

While the country was holding its breath in sus- 
pense and expectancy, a man in the Indian trade, named 
Madison Sweetzer, came to me about two o'clock one 
night, or rather morning, and told me that Nat. Tyson, 
who was a merchant in St. Paul and an enthusiastic Re- 
publican, had just started for the north with a fast team 
and an outfit that looked as if he contemplated a long 
journey, and his belief was that he intended to capture 
Joe Rolette and the Pembina returns. I thought such 
might be the case, and we immediately began to devise 
ways and means to circumvent him. We hastened to 
the house of Henry M, Rice, who knew every trader 
and half-breed between here and Pembina, and laid our 
suspicions before him. He diagnosed the case in an 
instant, and sent us to Norman W. Kittson, who lived 
in a stone house well up on Jackson street, with in- 
structions to him to send a mounted courier after Ty- 
son, who was to pass him on the road, and either find 
Rolette or Major Clitheral, who was an Alabama man 



Tales o? the Frontier. 301 

and one of the United States land officers in the neigh- 
borhood of Crow Wing (and, of course, a reliable Dem- 
ocrat), and to deliver a letter to the one first found, put- 
ting him on guard against the supposed enemy. I pre- 
pared the letter, and Kittson in a few moments had 
summoned a reliable Chippewa half-breed, mounted him 
on a fine horse, fully explained his mission, and im- 
pressed upon him that he was to reach Clitheral or Ro- 
lette ahead of Tyson, if he had to kill a dozen horses in 
so doing. There is nothing a fine, active young half- 
breed enjoys so much as an adventure of this kind; a 
ride of four hundred miles had no terrors for him, and 
to serve his employer, no matter what the duty or the 
danger, was his delight. When he was ready to start, 
Kittson gave him a send-off in about the following 
words: "Va, va, vite, et ne farrette pas, meme pour 
sauver la vie" ("Go; go quick; and don't stop even to 
save your life"), and giving his horse a vigorous slap, he 
was off like the wind. 

The result was that he passed Tyson before he had 
gone twenty miles, found Clitheral a day and a half be- 
fore Tyson reached Crow Wing, if he ever did get there, 
delivered his letter, and the major immediately started to 
find Rolette, which he succeeded in doing, took the re- 
turns and put them in a belt around his person, and hav- 
ing relieved Joe of all his responsibility, left him to his 
own devices, which meant painting all the towns red 
that he visited on his way. We well knew that Joe 
could no more resist the temptations of civilization than 
an old sailor returning from a long voyage, and what we 
apprehended was that he might, while in a too-convivial 
mood, either lose the returns, or have them stolen from 
him. 

The tone of the letter was so urgent that the major 



302 Tales of the Frontier. 

did not know but that half the Republicans in St. Paul 
might be lying in wait to capture him, so he did not 
enter the town directly, but went to Fort Snelling, and 
left the returns with an ofificer of the army, and then 
proceeded to St. Paul. When we explained to him that 
no one but Rice, Kittson, Sweetzer and myself knew 
anything about the matter, he was relieved, but still 
cautious. He waited for a few days, and then proposed 
to a lady to take a ride with him to Fort Snelling. 
When they started home, he gave her a bundle and 
asked her to care for it while he drove, which she unsus- 
pectingly did, and that is the way the Pembina returns 
of Minnesota's first state election reached the capital. 
It is needless to say how many votes they represented, 
but only to announce that the election went Demo- 
cratic. 

Whether Tyson had any idea of doing what we sus- 
pected him of, I never discovered, but if that was his 
purpose, he had a long ride for nothing, and as our 
scheme terminated so successfully, I am wilHng to ac- 
quit him of the charge. 



TaIvEs op the Frontier. 303 



A FRONTIER STORY WHICH CONTAINS A ROB- 
BERY, TWO DESERTIONS, A CAPTURE 
AND A SUICIDE. 

IN 1856 I was United States Indian agent for the 
Sioux. My agencies were at Redwood, about thir- 
teen miles above Fort Ridgely, and at Yellow Medicine, 
on a river of that name, emptying into the Minnesota 
about fifty miles above the fort. Under the treaties 
with these Indians the government paid them large 
sums of money and great quantities of goods, semi-an- 
nually, at the agencies. Up to a short time before the 
event which I am about to relate these payments were 
made by the agent, but, for some reason best known to 
the government, the making of the payment was turned 
over to the superintendent of Indian afifairs having 
charge of the tribes. The manner of making these pay- 
ments before the change was this: I would receive 
from the superintendent, at St. Paul, the money, in sil- 
ver and gold (this being long before the days of green- 
backs), amounting to a full wagon load, and take it up 
to the agencies, while the goods would be delivered by 
the contractors in steamboats, a census of the Indians 
would be taken, and the money and goods equally di- 
vided among them. 

After this duty was withdrawn from the agents and 
imposed upon the superintendents, of course all re- 
sponsibility for the money and goods was shifted from 
the former and laid upon the latter, which was to me a 
great relief, as I had transported many wagon loads of 
specie from St. Paul to the agencies without guard, and 



304 Tales of the Frontier. 

at great personal and financial risk. A payment was 
due early in July, 1857, and the superintendent had 
brought the money as far as Fort Ridgely. Arriving 
at that point, news came of much excitement among the 
Indians at the agencies, which was not at all unusual, 
as thousands of savage fellows used to come in from 
the Missouri river country, and make trouble for our 
tribes about payment time, and the superintendent de- 
cided it was prudent to leave the money at Fort Ridgely 
until matters quieted down. There was no vault or 
other safe place in which to deposit the money at the 
fort, so it was placed in a room occupied by the quar- 
termaster's clerk, a Frenchman, an enlisted man, and he, 
with another soldier, a German, who was the post baker, 
were put in charge of it. This Frenchman had been 
selected from the ranks of Captain Sully's company and 
made quartermaster's clerk on account of his superior 
education, his excellent penmanship and his good char- 
acter. I always have thought he was some unfortunate 
young gentleman, serving under an assumed name. The 
money was all in stout wooden mint boxes, holding- 
each $1,000 in silver, and in gold about $25,000 or more, 
there being usually one or two boxes of gold. The 
boxes were spread on the floor of the room, and the 
men slept on them. 

The constitutional convention to frame the organic 
law for the proposed State of Minnesota had been called 
to convene in St. Paul, on the thirteenth day of July, 
1857, and the people of the Minnesota valley had done 
me the honor to elect me a member of it. I had delayed 
starting for St. Paul until a day or two before the meet- 
ing of the convention, and having heard rumors that 
there would be trouble in organizing it, I felt very 
anxious to be there on the opening day. The only 



Tales of the Frontier. 305 

mode of transportation, except the river, in those days, 
was the little canvas-covered stages of Messrs. M. O. 
Walker & Co., which would hold four inside comforta- 
bly, and six on a pinch. When the down stage reached 
Traverse des Sioux, on the morning of the nth of July, 
it was full; that is, there were five inside, three on the 
back seat, and two on the front, and one man on the 
seat with the driver. I insisted strenuously on going, 
and said I would ride in the boot rather than not go at 
all, my insistence, of course, having reference to my de- 
sire to be at the opening of the convention. I was ad- 
mitted, and took my place on the front seat, with my 
back to the driver, and my knees interlocked with those 
of the passenger on the back seat who faced me. At 
this time I had heard nothing of what had happened at 
the fort. The fact was that the two men who had been 
placed in charge of the money had opened one of the 
boxes of gold, taken out a bag containing $5,000 in 
quarter eagles, and sealed it up again. When the su- 
perintendent sent down for his money, and it was load- 
ed into the wagon, the two soldiers immediately desert- 
ed, which, of course, excited the suspicions of the of- 
ficers. A courier was at once dispatched to the agency 
to see if the money was all right, and the theft was soon 
discovered. The superintendent, who was then Major 
Cullen, had handbills struck off, giving the description 
of the deserters, and offering $600 for their capture and 
the return of the money. Couriers were dispatched in 
all directions to effect their arrest, and one of the hand- 
bills reached Henderson, which was the county seat of 
Sibley county, some twenty miles down the river from 
the point at which I took the stage. A deputy sheriff 
of that county had started out to hunt the thieves and 

secure the reward, carrying one of the handbills with 
20 



306 Tales of the Frontier. 

him, and had proceeded up the river as far as Le Sueur, 
about half way between Traverse des Sioux and Hen- 
derson, 

It is well tO' state here that the stages carried the 
mails, and always stopped at the post towns long 
enough to deliver the incoming and receive the outgo- 
ing mails, which afforded time for a bit of gossip, a 
drink, and a stretch of the legs. There were two post- 
ofifices in Le Sueur, in upper town and lower town, 
about 2L mile and a half apart. As soon as the stage 
stopped at upper town, the deputy sherifif handed me 
the handbill through the window, announcing the theft 
and describing the thieves. I read it right in the face 
of my vis-a-vis, and after congratulating myself that I 
had no responsibility for the lost money, I remarked to 
the sheriff : "Of course, you don't expect to find these 
fellows on the main thoroughfare. They are probably 
now going down the Missouri in a canoe." Nothing 
more occurred until we arrived at the lower town post- 
office, where we again stopped to change the mails. 

Let me here state that the man in front of me was 
the Frenchman, and the man on the front seat with the 
driver was the German, the deserting thieves. The 
Frenchman was slight of build, but the German was a 
powerful fellow, and had in his hand a double-barrelled 
shotgun. 1, of course, had no idea of their identity at 
this time; but they, and especially the Frenchman, knew 
me perfectly well, having frequently iSeen me about the 
garrison. They had construed my anxiety to go on 
the stage into the belief that I knew them, and was after 
them, and had made my remark to the sheriff as a mere 
blind connected with some other scheme for their cap- 
ture. It must have been a trying ordeal for the man in 
front of me, who was evidently watching my every 



Tales of the Frontier. 307 

move, and feeling the weight of his guilt, supposed I 
knew all about it. 

While we were waiting the change of mail at Lower 
Le Sueur, the deputy sheriff asked me to get out of the 
stage, and said to me : "Major [I was called major in 
those days], had we not better take another look at 
those fellows in the stage? They are going out of the 
country when everybody is coming in. It looks to me 
suspicious." I agreed with him, and took another look. 
I at once discovered that they were both dressed from 
head to foot in new slop-shop clothes, indicating the 
necessity for an entire change of costume, and I con- 
cluded from this clue there were sufficient grounds to 
suspect them. So the deputy sherifif said : "You hold 
the stage ten or fifteen minutes, and I'll go to Hender- 
son, and take out a warrant, and arrest them on the 
arrival of the stage ; so that, if we are mistaken, no par- 
ticular harm will be done." He started on. I got my 
hand-bag out of the boot, and buckled on my six-shoot- 
er, all of which was seen by the thieves, who must have 
fully understood the program; at least, such must have 
been the case with the Frenchman, as subsequent events 
led me to doubt whether the German was a participant 
in the theft, or more than a mere deserter. I had a 
sense of uneasiness about the double-barrelled shotgun 
carried by the German, but I thought I could handle 
the other man. We started, and, much to my relief, 
when we reached the ferry over the river, the German 
fired one barrel of his gun at a pigeon, and snapped sev- 
eral caps on the other, which refused to go off. As we 
approached Henderson, quite a crowd had gathered at 
the hotel to see the arrest, and just as the stage swung 
up to the sidewalk, the Frenchman took out of his 
pocket a small penknife, the larp-est blade of which 



308 Tales of the Frontier. 

could not have been over four inches long-. He opened 
it so quietly that it did not excite my apprehensions in 
the least, although I had my right hand on my six- 
shooter, intending to draw and cover him the moment 
the stage stopped. He made a desperate lunge at his 
breast with the knife, and handing me a carpetbag 
which lay on his lap, he said, "The money is all in this 
bag, sir," just as if we had been talking the whole mat- 
ter over. I, fearing that he might strike at me with the 
knife, drew my revolver and struck him sharply over 
the knuckles, making the knife fly out of the window, 
and ,seizing him by the throat with my left hand, I cov- 
ered him with my pistol. The stage stopped. Retain- 
ing my hold on him, and still covering him with my pis- 
tol, we got out of the stage, on the sidewalk. He wa- 
vered for a second, and fell dead. He had put the knife 
an inch into his heart. I found in a belt on his body, 
and in the bag $5,320 in gold, Avhich I deposited in the 
United States land ofifice, at Henderson, subject to the 
order of Major Cullen, who got it all in good time. The 
Frenchman had in his pocket some letters from a lady 
in Strasburg, written in French, conveying some very 
tender sentiments. I never thought he was a bad man, 
but had yielded, as many do, to a strong temptation, and 
had decided to die rather than be captured. It was 
not more than twenty minutes before we were on our 
way to St. Paul. As no evidence connected the Ger- 
man wdth the theft, he was sent back simply as a de- 
serter. 

A curious question arose as to the reward. Major 
Cullen insisted on giving it to me. I knew very well 
that, had it not been for the superior detective sagacity 
of the deputy, the thieves would never have been caught, 
so I refused it, as I would have done under any circum- 



Tales of the Frontier. 309 

stances. Then the sheriff claimed it, and finally the ma- 
jor left its disposition to me, and I divided it between the 
sheriff and the deputy, partly because I thought it just, 
and partly to keep the peace in the sheriff's official fami- 
ly. Where the extra $320 came from, or where it went, 
I never knew nor cared. 




310 Tales of the Frontier. 



THE PONY EXPRESS. 

AS western settlement progressed after the purchase of 
the Louisiana territory froniFrance in 1803, it grad- 
ually extended up the west side of the Mississippi, until 
the State of Missouri was admitted into' the Union, in 
1820, which was followed by the States of Iowa and Min- 
nesota, along the line of , the Mississippi, and Kansas and 
Nebraska, on the Missouri. The Mexican War occurred 
in 1846, and ,as one of its fruits CaHfornia was ceded to 
the United States, and was admitted to the Union in 
1850. The territory which now composes the States of 
Washington, Oregon and Idaho was finally determined 
to belong to our country by the treaty with Great Bri- 
tain, which was signed July 17, 1846, fixing the boun- 
dary line between us and the British possessions at the 
forty-ninth parallel of north latitude. These extreme 
western acquisitions gave us an immense coast line on 
the Pacific Ocean, leaving a stretch of country between 
our Pacific and central possessions, on the Missouri, of 
considerably over two thousand miles in extent, which 
was uninhabited by whites, and composed the hunting 
grounds of many savage tribes of Indians and the pas- 
ture ranges of countless herds of buffalo. This vast 
area of country was practically unknown and unexplor- 
ed, although it had been crossed by the expeditions of 
Lewis and Clark, in 1805- 1806, John Jacob Astor in 
181 1, Captain Bonneville in 1832, Marcus Whitman in 
1836, and John C. Fremont in 1843, to which sources of 
information may be added the prejudiced reports of the 
Hudson Bay Company. 

When California was ceded to us by Mexico, ver}- 
little was thought of it as an acquisition to our posses- 



Tales of the Frontier. 311 

sions. It was looked upon as a country out of which 
a small trade in hides and tallow mig-ht grow, but noth- 
ing more. I have heard it denounced on the floor of 
the house of representatives, in Washington, by some 
of the wisest statesmen of the day, as a bear garden, un- 
fit for the use of civilized man; but prophets usually 
make bad work of matters about which they know abso- 
lutely nothing, which was the case with California in 
1848. However, adventurous spirits soon found their 
way there, as they have always done in Western Ameri- 
ca, and in 1848 or 1849 gold was found acci dentally by 
Captain Sutter, in digging a mill-race on his ranch, 
which discovery at once settled the status and fortunes 
of California. The news soon reached the States, and 
spread like a prairie fire on a windy day. All the subse- 
quent gold excitements of Frazier river, down to and 
including the Klondike, have been insignificant in com- 
parison. I was in New York at the time, and used to sit 
on the East river wharves, and see the ships sailing away 
for distant California with an insatiable boyish longing 
to join in the procession. 

There was no way of reaching the promised land ex- 
cept by a voyage around Cape Horn or an overland 
trip from western Missouri across the great American 
desert, the Rocky and Sierra Nevada ranges of moun- 
tains, either of which routes necessitated a weary and 
dangerous trip of nine months' duration. The usual 
plan adopted in the East was to form a company of about 
one hundred or more men, calculate the probable ex- 
pense to each, and divide it, purchase an old whaling 
ship, fit her up with bunks and cooking appliances, and 
get an outfit and sail. Of course, there was nothing in- 
volved in the enterprise but the departure, the voyage 
and the arrival at San Francisco. No steamer had ever 



312 Tales of the Frontier. 

crossed the ocean at this time, and all navigation was 
done in sailing ships. So great was the rush that a 
scarcity of ships was soon felt. I remember distinctly 
on one occasion, when an old played-out vessel, pur- 
chased by a party which proposed to take out a printing 
press and start the first newspaper, was seized by the 
maritime authorities and condemned as unseaworthy 
just as she was leaving port. The next morning she was 
gone, and made one of the quickest and most successful 
voyages of the emigration. It is a curious fact that, 
out of all the ships that enlisted in this hazardous enter- 
prise, not one was lost or seriously damaged. 

The overland route involved more dangers and hard- 
ships than the one by sea. Many people died on the 
way from exhaustion and disease, and many were killed 
by the Indians, t>ut the emigration never ceased, or even 
lessened, from these reasons. I have followed the trails 
made by these emigrants in the Sierra Nevadas, and it 
seemed almost impossible that animals could have climb- 
ed the precipitous mountain slopes they encountered. 
These hardships, however, did not go unrewarded, be- 
cause to enjoy the distinction of being a "Forty-niner" 
was ever afterwards a badge of nobility on the Pacific 
Coast. 

It was not long, under this vast influx of immigra- 
tion, before California became a well settled state, and 
its business relations with the rest of the country, or as 
it was then called, "The States," became very extensive 
and important, and the difficulty of intercommunication 
was seriously felt. There were no telegraphs and no 
railroads, and no way for business men to correspond 
with each other except across a continent on wheels or 
around a continent by sea. What was to be done? It 
did not take the genius of American enterprise long to 



Tales of the Frontier. 313 

solve the problem. The overland immigration and its 
incidents had developed a class of men skilled in horse- 
manship, Indian fighting-, and all the accomplishments 
that attend the latter, such as courage, wary intelligence, 
and a peculiar sagacity in trailing and scouting, only 
learned by intercourse with wild animals and wild men. 
Such men, for instance, as Col. Wm. Cody, now cele- 
brated as "Bufifalo Bill," and Robert Haslam, distin- 
guished as "Pony Bob," are its best representatives. 
This class of men much resembled the rough riders of to- 
day, and could be relied upon for any enterprise that in- 
volved adventure, courage and endurance. At the same 
time, the country was not lacking in a higher degree of 
intellect which could conceive a project that would call 
into play the utmost ability of this class of men. 

California had been, and I think was, in i860, repre- 
sented in the senate of the United States by Senator 
Guin, who was associated with Alexander Majors and 
Daniel E. Phelps in transportation matters. They con- 
ceived the project of reducing the time between the Pa- 
cific Coast and the States by the establishment of an ex- 
press, from St. Joseph, on the Missouri river, to Sacra- 
mento in California, a distance of about two thousand 
miles, which was to carry special business mails, togeth- 
er with light and valuable express matter, by means of 
ponies, ridden by young men rapidly for short distances, 
between the two points. Of course, this scheme in- 
volved an immense expenditure for stations all along the 
route, horses and men to ride them, and all other ele- 
ments that would necessarily enter into the scheme. 
The matter was discussed fully at both ends of the route, 
and found many advocates and much opposition. The 
most experienced plainsmen and mountaineers pro- 
nounced it impracticable, on account of the dangers to 



314 Tales of the Frontier. 

be met with, and the opinion was expressed that no 
package risked on this Hne would ever reach its destina- 
tion, and that all the riders would be murdered before a 
test could be made. Sense and experience seemed to 
uphold these views. It must be remembered that the 
whole distance was a wilderness of desert and mountain 
ranges, little known, and infested with the most savage 
Indian tribes on the continent, the relations of which 
with the whites were either unsettled or hostile. But, 
nothing daunted, the projectors decided to carry out 
their design, win or lose. They purchased six hundred 
Texas bronchos, built all the necessary stations, em- 
ployed all the men required to operate and defend them, 
and secured seventy-five riders from the adventurous 
men found on the borders. The wages paid the riders 
were from $125 to $150 a month, with rations, and sin- 
gular as it may seem to people of to-day, these positions 
were much sought for. Danger among this class of 
men has an irresistible fascination, and writing about it 
recalls an incident which verifies the assertion fully. 
When I lived in Carson City, Nev., the ofBce of sheriff 
of Ormsby county, in which Carson was situated, was 
the most coveted position in the gift of the people, and 
it was well known that there never was an incumbent of 
it who had not died in his boots. 

The whole arrangement was perfected with western 
rapidity, and the first pony started from St. Joseph in 
Missouri on the third day of April, i860. On the same 
day and hour the western pony started from Sacramento 
in California. The distance between the stations was 
about forty miles, and was ridden in the shortest time 
possible. Two minutes were allowed for refreshments 
and change of horses. Each rider carried about ten 
pounds, and the freight charged for the full distance was 



Tales of the Frontier. 315 

five dollars an ounce. The line was maintained success- 
fully for about two years, without any interruption more 
serious than the occasional klllin^^ of a rider bv the In- 
dians, when, in June, 1862, the first transcontinental tele- 
graph went into operation, and the pony express, being 
no longer profitable, yielded, as many other things have 
since, to the all-conquering invader, electricity. 

The first pony carried from the president of the Unit- 
ed States a congratulatory message to the governor of 
California. The best time ever made between the two 
extreme points was when the last message of President 
Buchanan reached Sacramento in eight and one-half days 
from Washington. It seems almost incredible that such 
time could have been made with animals, when we re- 
flect that the first expedition sent out by Mr. Astor, was 
eleven months in crossing the continent. 

The pony express was a success financially to its pro- 
jectors, and satisfied the hungering of the people for 
news from points so distant from each other, and im- 
mensely facilitated the transaction of business; but, in 
my opinion, it was most important in demonstrating 
that the western American never shrinks from encoun- 
tering and overcoming obstacles that to most people 
would seem insurmountable. 



316 Tales of the Frontier. 



KISSING DAY. 

THE Sioux Indian is an exceptionally fine specimen of 
physical manhood. His whole method of life tends 
to this result. He lives in the open air. He may be 
said to be born with arms in his hands. From the mo- 
ment he is old enough to draw a bowstring, he com- 
mences warfare on birds and small animals. As he ad- 
vances to manhood, he becomes familiar with the use of 
firearms, and extends his warfare to the buffalo and the 
larger animals. He rides on horseback from infancy, 
and excels as a daring horseman. He goes on the war- 
path when half-grown, and learns strategy from the wolf 
and the panther. He is a meat eater, which diet con- 
duces to the growth of a lean, muscular, athletic frame, 
and a bold and highly spirited temperament. He is 
taught to spurn labor of any kind as unmanly, and only 
fit for women. His life occupation is, in the language 
of the old school histories and geographies, "hunting, 
fishing and war," in each and all of which accomplish- 
ments he becomes surpassingly expert. 

I attribute the superiority of the Sioux over many 
other tribes to their meat diet and their method of trans- 
portation — the horse. This peculiarity has been noticed 
by travellers and historians for many years. There is an 
old and true adage which says, "We are what we eat." 
Washington Irving, in his story of "Astoria," says in re- 
gard to this subject : 

"The effect of different modes of Hfe upon the hu- 
man frame and human character is strikingly instanced 
in the contrast between the hunting Indians of the prai- 
ries and the piscatory Indians of the sea coast. The 



Tales of the Frontier. 3l7 

former, continually on horseback, scouring the plains, 
gaining their food by hardy exercise, and subsisting 
chiefly on flesh, are generally sinewy, tall, meagre, but 
well formed and of bold and fierce deportment. The 
latter, lounging about the river banks, or squatting or 
curved up in their canoes, are generally low in stature, 
ill-shaped, with crooked legs, thick ankles, and broad 
flat feet. They are inferior also in muscular power and 
activity, and in game qualities and appearance, to their 
hard-riding brethren of the prairies." 

The general habits of the Sioux warrior tend to make 
him lordly, proud, and somewhat taciturn and morose, 
although he is not without a strong sense of humor. He 
is a good husband and indulgent father, but not at all 
demonstrative in his affections. Very little billing and 
cooing is noticeable among the nearest relations, and 
none between lovers. A kiss is regarded more as a cer- 
emony than an endearment. 

In the natural and savage state of these people, they 
counted time by moons and seasons, having no division 
of years, and, of course, knew nothing of our red letter 
days of Christmas or New Year's, — but after the advent 
of the Christian missionaries among them, they were 
taught to understand the meaning of New Year's day, 
and to recognize its arrival, and to distinguish it they 
called it "Kissing Day," everybody being expected to 
bestow a kiss upon his or her friends in honor of the day. 

In 1857 I lived among the Sioux, having them in 
charge as their agent, appointed by the United States 
government, and when New Year's day came around, I 
found myself at the Yellow Medicine Agency, but was 
ignorant of their pecuHar ceremonies for the occasion. 
I proposed to make the best of my isolation from my 
kind, and spend the day as pleasantly as circumstances 



318 Tales op the Frontier. 

would permit. While debating the subject of what to 
do, I was informed of the way the Indians celebrated the 
event, and told that I would probably be called upon by 
a numerous delegation of squaws, and that it would be 
expected that I should receive them by the bestowal of 
some sort of present. Not wishing to be ungallant, and 
desiring to gain information of the customs and manners 
of my savage wards, I ordered my baker to prepare sev- 
eral barrels of ginger bread, and purchased many yards 
of gaily colored caHco. which I had cut into proper pieces 
for women's dresses, and with this outfit, prepared to 
meet the enemy. 

At this point I will say a word about the Sioux girl 
and woman. As a general thing, the very young girl 
is by nature pretty and attractive. I have seen many at 
the age of thirteen and fourteen who had graceful fig- 
ures, good carriage, and very beautiful faces; but they 
marry very young, and as soon as married become pack- 
horses for their husbands, carrying loads on their backs, 
by means of a head strap across the forehead, that it 
takes two men to lift from the ground, and very often 
when thus loaded babies, puppies, and many other 
things, will be put on top of the pack. They will trudge 
fifteen or twenty miles a day with this burden, bending 
forward, and staggering under its weight. The result 
is to spoil the figure and gait, and deprive them of every 
semblance of beauty. The awkward walk produced by 
this hard labor we used to call "The Dakota shamble." 
Under this treatment they soon look old, and become 
wrinkled, and are called "Wakonkas," which might be 
translated to mean old witches. 

With this visitation in prospect, I awaited quietly 
their coming. About ten in the morning they began to 
assemble about the agency in groups of all sizes and 



Tales of the Frontier. 319 

ages. I could hear a great deal of giggling among the 
girls, and scolding by the elder women. They were ap- 
parently selecting someone to break the ice by making 
the first assault. Presently a venerable dame opened 
the door, and sidled in like a crab. She approached me 
and kissed me on both cheeks, and received her pres- 
ents. Then they followed in a line, old and young, pret- 
ty and ugly, each giving me a hearty kiss, which, in some 
cases, I returned with interest. The ceremony contin- 
ued with great hilarity and much frolicksome tittering 
and fun, until forty-eight squaws had kissed and been 
kissed by me. They all carried oflf their presents and 
seemed very happy. Whether it was all caused by the 
presents or not, I am unable to say, but I was not the 
grizzled old fellow then that I have since become. I 
have celebrated a good many New Year's days, both be- 
fore and since, but none have left a more agreeable im- 
pression than the one I have described. I have never 
known the exact figures of Hobson's Kansas experience, 
nor can I make a just comparison between the Sioux and 
the Kansas article, but from the general reputation of 
that state, I would recommend the caress of the untu- 
tored aborigines. 

If Hobson ever reads this story he will have to admit 
that there were others. 



320 Tales of the Frontier. 



A POLITICAL RUSE. 

ALL people who keep the run of politics will remem- 
ber that the Republican party,now called the"Grand 
Old Party" (I suppose on account of its extreme youth), 
had its birth in the year 1854, after the death of the 
Whig party, and succeeded to the position in American 
politics formerly occupied by the Whigs, with a strong- 
tinge of abolition added. It was, of course, largely re- 
cruited from the Whigs, but had quite formidable acqui- 
sitions from the Free-soil Democrats. It sprang into 
prominence and power with phenomenal rapidity, com- 
ing very near to electing a president in 1856, and suc- 
ceeding in i860. Minnesota resisted the attractions of 
the new party, and remained Democratic until 1857, 
when the first state election occurred, and the whole 
Democratic state ticket was elected. Since then the 
Democrats have never succeeded in our state, unless the 
election of Governor Lind in 1898 may be called a Dem- 
ocratic victory. 

It was very natural that the politicians who had joined 
the new party should be exceedingly zealous and en- 
thusiastic for its success. Such is usually the case, and 
verifies the old proverb, that "A converted Turk makes 
the best Christian." This phase of political tendencies 
was fully illustrated by the conduct of my old friend, Mr. 
James W. Lynd of Henderson, more familiarly known 
by us as "Jii^ Lynd," which occurred at the election of 
1856, and forms the text for the present story. 

In the early days of the territory much had been said, 
and generally believed, about frauds being perpetrated 
by the Democrats in the elections on the frontier. For 
instance, it was asserted that, at Pembina and the Indian 



Tales of the Frontier. 321 

agencies, one pair of pantaloons would suffice to civil- 
ize several hundred Indians, as, by putting them on, and 
thus adopting the customs and habits of civilization, 
they would be entitled to vote. There never was much 
truth about these rumors, and being on the border, and 
having charge of an Indian agency, where hundreds of 
men were employed, I knew a good deal about how 
these matters were conducted, and I can conscientiously 
say that there never was much truth in them. The near- 
est approach to a violation of the election laws that I 
ever discovered was at Pembina, and that was free from 
any intention of fraud. It would come about in this 
way : Election day would arrive, the polls would open, 
and everybody who was at home would vote. It would 
then occur to some one that Baptiste La Cour or Alexis 
La Tour had not voted, and the question would be ask- 
ed, why? It would be discovered that they were out on 
a buffalo hunt, and the judges would say, "We all know 
how they would vote if they were here," and they would 
be put down as voting the Democratic ticket. Of course, 
this would be a violation of the election laws, but who 
can say that it was not the expression of an honest inten- 
tion by a simple people. While I cannot approve such 
methods in an election where the law and the necessities 
of civilization require the voter to be present, I cannot 
avoid the wish that we were all honest enough to make 
such a course possible as the one adopted by these sim- 
ple border people. 

The Republicans being the "outs" and the Demo- 
crats being the "ins," of course all the frauds were 
charged to the latter, and every movement of either 
party was watched with zealous scrutiny. The law gov- 
erning the qualification of voters provided that soldiers 
enlisted in other states or territories, coming into Min- 
nesota under military orders, did not gain a residence, 
21 



322 Tales of the Frontier. 

and citizens of Minnesota enlisting in the army did not 
lose their residence or right to vote as long as they re- 
mained in the territory. It so happened, in 1856 or 
1857, that there were at Fort Ridgely a number of re- 
cruits who had enlisted in the territory, and had not 
lost their right to vote; but there was no precinct or 
place to vote where they could exercise their privilege. 
Knowing that they were Democrats, we had a polling 
place established at the "Lone Cottonwood Tree," a 
point about three miles above Fort Ridgely, for the pur- 
pose of saving these votes. 

Of course, it soon became known throughout the 
valley, and my friend Jim Lynd, who resided at Hender- 
son, about fifty miles down the river, conceived the idea 
that it was the intention to vote the whole garrison for 
the Democrats, and he determined to checkmate it by 
challenging every soldier who cast his vote, laboring, as 
he did, under the erroneous impression that an enlist- 
ment in the army disqualified the soldiers as voters. So 
when the election day arrived, Jim, who had walked all 
the way from Henderson, was on the ground early, fully 
determined to exclude all soldiers from voting. 

It so happened that I was at my Indian agency, at 
Redwood, and on the morning of the election was to 
start for St. Paul. The agency was about ten miles up 
the river from the "Lone Tree," and, starting early in the 
morning, brought me to the voting place about the time 
the polls were opened. I knew everybody in the valley 
and everybody knew me, and we never passed each other 
on the road without a stop and a chat. When I arrived 
at the polls all hands came out to greet me, and after 
the usual inquiries as to how the election was progress- 
ing, the judges told me that Lynd had challenged the 
first soldier who offered his vote, and they, being in 



Tales of the Frontier. 323 

doubt as to the law, had agreed to leave it to me. I 
gave my version of it, but Lynd still disputed it, and in- 
sisted that an enlistment in the army disqualified the 
man as a voter. Being unable to convince him, I, with 
a significant wink to the judges, suggested that he 
should get into my wagon and go down to the post 
(where I knew the sutler had a copy of the statutes), and 
we could readily settle the controversy. He consented 
willingly to this proposition, and we started for the post. 
When we arrived, I gave my team to the quartermaster's 
sergeant, and we looked up the law in the sutler's store. 
I then began a game of billiards with some of the of- 
ficers, and accepted an invitation to lunch. As noon 
approached, Lynd began to show signs of impatience, 
and he asked me when I proposed to take him back to 
the polls. I quietly informed him that my route lay in 
the opposite direction, and that I would not go back at 
all. Instantly it flashed upon him that I had taken him 
away from the polls for a purpose, and he fled like a 
scared deer over the road we had just travelled, leaving 
me to pursue my journey alone in the other direction. 
I afterwards learned that in the interval between Lynd's 
departure and return, all the soldiers had voted the Dem- 
ocratic ticket without challenge or obstruction. Wheth- 
er my friend Lynd walked back to Henderson or not, I 
never certainly ascertained. I was sufficiently satisfied 
with the success of my ruse not tO' desire to inflict any 
discomfort on my dear enemy. 

This was the only political trick I remember of hav- 
ing perpetrated on the enemy during my long participa- 
tion in active politics, and I don't believe any of my read- 
ers will regard it as transgressing the proverb that "all 
is fair in love or war." 

My friend Lynd was, like most of the characters in 
my frontier experience, killed by the Indians in the out- 
break of 1862. 



324 ' Tales of the Frontier. 



THE HARDSHIPS OF EARLY LAW PRACTICE. 

PRIOR to 1855 the public lands of Minnesota were un- 
surveyed, and no title could be acquired to them. 
About that time, however, four United States land dis- 
tricts were established, with a land office in each of them. 
The districts were straight tracts of country extending 
from the Mississippi due west to the Missouri, the ex- 
terior lines of which were parallel to each other. The of- 
fices were at Brownsville, Winona, Red Wing and Min- 
neapolis. I was then living in Traverse des Sioux, which 
place, together with Mankato, fell within the Winona 
district, so that any land business we had in our region 
of the country compelled a trip to Winona, a distance 
of nearly three hundred miles by water, or one hundred 
and fifty by land. After the closing of the rivers by 
winter there was no other way of getting there except 
to journey across the country. 

At the time I refer to there was little or no settlement 
between Traverse des Sioux and Winona, and no roads. 
I remember that there were one or two settlers on the 
Straight river, where now stands Owatonna, and about 
the same number on the Zumbro, where now is Roches- 
ter, and one house at a point called Utica, about fifty 
miles west of Winona, and a small settlement at Stock- 
ton, on a trout stream which flows through the blufifs a 
few miles west of Winona. The latter place, being on 
the Mississippi and easy of access, was quite a flourish- 
ing town. 

That fall I had been elected to the upper house of the 
territorial legislature, called the council, and the news 



Tales of the Frontier. 325 

reached us that there would be a contested seat in the 
council from some district in the southern part of the 
territory, but we had no particulars as to the locality or 
the person, and gave the matter very little attention. 

A controversy had arisen between parties at Man- 
kato as to the right to enter a quarter section of land 
which was part of the town site, and ultimately became a 
very valuable part of the city. I represented one side of 
the fight, but cannot recall the name of my adversary. 
It was customary in those days to lump matters by mak- 
ing up a party of those who had claims to prove up be- 
fore the land office, and act as witnesses for each other. 
On the occasion of this Mankato contest we formed two 
parties, one from Mankato and one from Traverse, and 
started with two teams, on wheels, there being no snow, 
and the first day we reached a point in the woods, some- 
where near the present town of Elysian, and there 
camped. When morning opened on us we found the 
ground covered with from twelve to fifteen inches of 
snow, which made it impossible to proceed further with 
our wagons. We did not hesitate, but accepted the only 
alternative that presented itself, and decided to foot it to 
Winona. We travelled light in those days, carrying 
only some blankets and a change of clothes. We cached 
our wagons in the timber, packed our animals with our 
impedimenta, and started. Such a tramp would seem ap- 
palling at the present time, but we were all accustomed 
to hardships, and were equipped with good Red Riv- 
er winter moccasins, two or three stout flannel shirts, 
and thought very little of the undertaking. We drove 
the horses ahead of us to aid in making a trail, and 
made pretty good progress. I think it took us about 
five days to accomplish the journey, which we did with- 
out sufTering, or even being seriously incommoded, as 



326 Tales of the Frontier. 

we found shelter at the Straight river, the Zumbro, Uti- 
ca, and Stockton. 

An amusing- and interesting incident happened the 
night we arrived at Utica which, as I have said, con- 
sisted of one small log house. Our march that day had 
been a long and tiresome one, and I felt as if a good 
drink of whisky would be very supporting and accepta- 
ble, our supplies in that Hne having become exhausted 
by reason of the unexpected length of time consumed in 
our journey; but the prospect of getting one was any- 
thing but promising. While revolving the subject in 
my mind, and having all my faculties concentrated on 
the much desired end, I, by some accident, learned that 
the proprietor of the shanty was a doctor. At this dis- 
covery my hopes went up several degrees, and I deter- 
mined to test his medicine chest. Putting on a look of 
utter exhaustion, with both my hands on my abdomen, 
and assuming the most plaintive voice I could muster, 
I said : "Doctor, I have made a long march to-day, and 
feel utterly broken up ; have you not some spirits in your 
medicine chest that you could prescribe for me? I am 
sure it would be a great relief." He looked me over 
with suspicion, and said: "No, I am an herb doctor." 
I felt that my fate was sealed for the night, and prepared 
to seek my couch on the softest plank I could find, be- 
tween the two men who looked the warmest of the party. 
While thus preparing my toilette de nuit, in a state of 
mind bordering on desperation, I heard the jingHng of 
sleigh-bells, and a team dash up to the door, from which 
debarked two men, each comfortably full, followed by 
hand-bags, blankets and a two-gallon demijohn. They 
said they had driven from Winona that day, and would 
stay all night. They ordered supper, and while it was 
in course of preparation, indulged in a good deal of 



Tales of the Frontier. 327 

banter back and forth. Of course, I had formed the 
determination of becoming- acquainted with the contents 
of that demijohn in some way, by fair means or foul, 
and became deeply interested in their conversation, 
looking- for a favorable chance to carry my point. I no- 
ticed that one of them was very boastful about what he 
was going to do when the legislature met, and the other 
saying to him that "he would not be there three days 
before they would kick him out and send him home." 
At these words, it flashed across my mind that this must 
be the man whose seat was contested, and, waiting for 
a proper opportunity, when his friend was loudest in his 
assertions that he would not remain long in the legis- 
lature, I put in my oar, and said : "Maybe I will have 
something to say about that." In an instant the legis- 
lator gave me a most scrutinizing look, and said : "Are 
you in the legislature?" I said "Yes." "In which 
house?" he inquired. "In the council," I answered. I 
saw the man was bright and intelligent, and it was a 
study to watch the workings of his mind while debating 
to himself how I would be affected by his condition, 
whether favorably or otherwise. Having weig-hed the 
matter carefully, he showed his experience and good 
judgment of character by saying : "My friend, won't you 
take a drink?" From what I have said, it is unneces- 
sary to record my answer. We spent the greater part of 
the night in pleasant social intercourse, drawing inspira- 
tion from the depths of the demijohn, which had seemed 
so far removed from my grasp but a short time before. 

The man was the famous Bill Lowry, from the Roch- 
ester district. This incident made us sworn friends for 
life, and singular as it may seem, when the legislature 
convened, I found myself chairman of the committee on 
contested elections in the council. It is unnecessary to 



328 Tales of the Frontier. 

go into the details of the contest. Suffice it to say that 
the contestant had a very weak case, and Lowry per- 
formed all he had boasted that he would do on that 
eventful night in Utica. 

We were engaged in trying our suit at Winona for 
several days. Captain Upman was the register of the 
land office, and presided at the trial. The captain was 
a jolly old German from Milwaukee, and a fairlv good 
drinker. There was a building in the town which had 
been a church, but by the intervention of the evil one, 
had been turned into a saloon, and was popularly known 
as "The Church." This was the captain's favorite re- 
sort when thirsty, which physical condition occurred 
quite frequently, and he would always say on such oc- 
casions: "The bells are ringing; come, boys, we must 
go to church. It is unlawful to try cases on Sunday." 

What influences dominated, I don't pretend to say, 
but I won for my client three forties of the quarter sec- 
tion in dispute. We returned home the way we went 
down, — on foot, — with the exception that at Stockton 
we constructed a small sleigh, sufficient to carry our 
baggage, which much relieved the animals. My client 
offered me one of the forty-acre tracts for my fee, but I 
declined, and accepted a twenty dollar gold piece for my 
services. The land which I refused became worth a 
quarter of a million of dollars a few years afterwards, but 
I had a good deal of fun out of the adventure, and never 
regretted the outcome. 



Tales of the Frontier. 329 



TEMPERANCE AT TRAVERSE. 

THE first members of the judiciary of the Territory of 
Minnesota were Aaron Goodrich, chief justice; 
Bradley B. Meeker and David Cooper, associates, who 
were appointed in 1849. They were Whigs, and held their 
positions until a change of administration gave the Dem- 
ocrats the power, when William H. Welch became chief 
justice, with Andrew G. Chatfield and Moses Sherburne 
as associates. The last named judges were in ofifice when 
I arrived in the territory, in 1853. Judge Chatfield pre - 
sided mostly over the courts held on the west side of the 
Mississippi. I made my residence at Traverse des Sioux, 
in Nicollet county, which was within the territory pur- 
chased from the Sioux Indians by the treaty of 185 1, 
proclaimed in 1853. The fifth article of this treaty kept 
in force, within the territory ceded, all the laws of the 
United States prohibiting the introduction and sale of 
spirituous liquors in the Indian country, commonly 
known as the trade and intercourse laws. Of course, 
this inhibition was intended to prevent liquor getting to 
the Indians, but as the country began to be inhabited by 
whites, many of the new comers regarded it as infringing 
upon their rights and privileges, and serious questions 
arose as to whether the treaty-making power had any 
jurisdiction of such questions after the country was 
opened to white settlement. The courts, however, held 
the exclusion valid, and indictments were occasionally 
found against the violators of these laws. Traverse des 
Sioux was a missionary center, and the feeling against 
the Hquor traffic was very strong, but, as it always has 



330 Tales of the Frontier. 

been, and probably always will be, men were found ready 
to invade the sacred precincts for the expected profits, 
and a saloon or two were established in defiance of law 
and public sentiment. 

The judges were empowered to appoint the terms of 
court where and when there was any probable necessity 
for them, and the sheriff would summon a g-rand or petit 
jury as the business seemed to require. The United 
States marshal was Colonel Irwin, and the United States 
district attorney was Colonel Dustin, both of whom lived 
in St. Paul, and, as a general thing, there were no 
county attorneys in the dilTerent counties. When a 
term of court was to be held in my county, or any of the 
adjacent ones, the marshal would send me a deputation 
to represent him, and a bag of gold to pay the jurors and 
witnesses; the United States attorney would empower 
me to appear for him, and on the opening of the court, 
the judge would enter an order appointing me prosecut- 
ing attorney for the county so the judge and I would 
constitute the entire force, federal and territorial, judicial 
and administrative. If I procured an indictment against 
a party at one term, in my capacity of prosecutor, and 
the regular attorney should appear at the next term, it 
was more than likely that I would be retained to defend ; 
which would look a little irregular at the present time, 
but as there was no other attorney but me, as a usual 
thing, no questions were asked. 

At a very early day, a party not having the fear of the 
law or public opinion before him opened a saloon at Tra- 
verse des Sioux, much to the dismay and indignation of 
the religious element of the community, and went to 
selling whisky to the other element. The next grand 
jury indicted him, but, before a court convened that 
could try him, a squad composed of the temperance peo- 



Tales of the Frontier. 331 

pie headed by the sheriff, attacked his place, and de- 
molished his contraband stores. Being- determined to 
test the question of his rig-hts, he sued the attacking- 
party, and I -was retained to defend them. I devised the 
plea that the country was full of savage Indians, whose 
passions became inflamed by whisky, which made them 
dangerous to the lives of the whites, and that saloons 
were consequently a nuisance which anyone had a right 
to abate. The case was tried before Judge Chatfield, 
and my clients were vindicated. Of course, the suit 
created a great sensation, not only on account of the 
feeling engendered, but because of the novel questions 
involved, and in due course of time the temperance la- 
dies of the county sent to New York and purchased a 
handsome combination gold pen and pencil, with a jew- 
elled head, and had it inscribed, "Charles E. Flandrau: 
Defender of the Right." They also procured a hand- 
some family Bible for the sheriff. When all was ready, 
they held a public meeting, and made the presentations, 
which were accompanied by the usual speeches. These 
ceremonies occurred in the latter part of the year 1854, 
or early in 1855, and in the meantime a small newspa- 
per, called the St. Peter Courier, had been established to 
boom the city, which contained an elaborate account of 
the proceedings, together with all the speeches, and dili- 
gently circulated them throughout the East, where they 
were caught up by Horace Greely, in his Tribune, and 
many other papers, and repeated under the head of 
"Moral Suasion in Minnesota," and came back to us en- 
larged and improved. 

Should I end the story here, it would leave me in the 
possession and enjoyment of virtues which I cannot con- 
scientiously claim as my own, and would deprive the tale 
of its best and only amusing point ; so as a faithful nar- 



332 Tales of thk Frontier. 

rator, I feel in duty bound to tell the other side of it. 

In due course of events the trial of the indictment 
against the saloonkeeper came on to be heard, and I was 
acting as prosecuting attorney. Of course, I had to 
prove that the prisoner had introduced liquor into the 
Indian country, and, to do so, I called a French half- 
breed who I knew frequented the place, and after the 
preliminary questions, this examination followed : 

"Q. Joe, were you ever in this saloon? 

"A. Yes, many a time. 

"Q, Did you ever buy and drink any liquor in 
there? 

"A. Yes, many a time. 

"Q. Did you see anyone else buy and drink Hquor 
in there? 

"A. Yes, many a time. 

"Q. Who was it? 

"A. I have seen you do it lots of times." 

Of course, the laugh was heavily against me, but I 
sat, as stoical as an Indian, and quietly asked him : "Any- 
one else, Joe?" 

I have forgotten whether the suit terminated in con- 
viction or acquittal, but I never think of it without a 
good laugh at the way the witness turned the tables on 
me, and am also reminded of what my old friend. Van 
IvOwry, from the Winnebago country, once said of mei 
"That Flandrau is one of the most singular men I ever 
knew. He invariably makes a temperance speech over 
his whisky," 

The gold pen with the jewelled head reposes among 
my frontier treasures, carefully wrapped up in several 
editorials cut from eastern papers, extolling my virtues 
as an apostle of temperance. 

Moral: Don't believe everything you read in the 
papers. 



Tales op the Frontier. 333 



WIN-NE-MUC-CA'S GOLD MINE. 

EVERY one who has lived in a mining country in its 
early periods, before its resources had been pros- 
pected and pretty well defined, will recall the fact that 
stories and rumors of a mysterious mine of great rich- 
ness, which exists somewhere, are always in circulation. 
The discoverer of this mine is either dead, without hav- 
ing revealed its exact location, or it is known only to the 
Indians, who are compelled to secrecy by awful oaths, or 
fear of death from their chief or members of their band. 
At any rate, there is always a profound mystery connect- 
ed with the hidden treasure, that envelops it with a 
tinge of romance and a spice of danger to those who seek 
to break the spell and lift the veil. There is also just 
enough known about it, which has leaked out through 
some obscure channel, to lend some slight probability to 
the story, and many have been the attempts to discover 
the bonanza by credulous and adventurous miners, but 
ever without success. 

When I was living in Nevada, in 1864, I became 
closely associated with an old Mormon by the name of 
Rose. He had been a settler in the Washoe valley long 
before the discovery of the rich silver mines at Virginia 
City, known as the Comstock lode, and necessarily at a 
time when no one inhabited the country but Mormons 
and Indians. The principal tribe of Indians were the 
Piutes, whose head chief was Win-ne-muc-ca. These 
Indians inhabited the country around Pyramid lake, 
about ,a hundred miles to the northeast of Carson City, 
where I resided. Rose was known to have been an in- 



334 Tai.es of the Frontier. 

timate friend of Win-ne-muc-ca ^n times past, and to 
have performed some important -service for him, which 
had placed the chief under lasting obligations to him, 
and rumor said that in compensation he had disclosed 
to Rose the whereabouts of the most valuable gold mine 
on all the Pacific Coast, and that Rose was the only- 
white man who knew anything about it. The truth of 
these rumors was fortified ,by the existence of three old 
and abandoned arrastras and a twenty-five foot overshot 
waterwheel, which had evidently been erected to drive 
the arrastras, that stood on one of the back streets of 
Carson City, and were known to have been constructed 
by Rose, and as there was no stream in the neighbor- 
hood to propel the arrastras, it was generally believed 
that, when Rose built these works, (he had a mine, the 
ore of which was so rich that he could bring it on pack 
animals, crush it with these machines, and divert a 
stream to propel them. As quite a large sum had been 
expended on these works, it was evident that they were 
intended to carry out some such purpose, which had 
been interrupted for sufficient reasons. At any rate, I 
caught the mine fever, and after many conferences with 
Rose, I and my associates, William S. ^Chapman and 
Judge Atwater, got far enough into his confidence to 
obtain an admission from him that he knew the exact lo- 
cation of the mysterious mine, the secret of which he 
had learned from Win-ne-muc-ca, and dare not disclose 
without the consent of that chieftain, but he assured jus 
that it was fabulously rich. It was then learned that the 
mine was within the limits of the Piute reservation, and 
even if we had the consent of the Indians to work it, we 
would not be allowed to do so by the United States gov- 
ernment. Here were presented two formidable obsta- 
cles, but we were so well satisfied that we had a fortune 
within call that we determined to remove them both. 



Tales of the Frontier. 335 

Our , first operations were upon Win-ne-muc-ca, 
whom we proposed to conquer by presents and flattery, 
and succeeded to the extent of eHciting' from him a 
promise that, if we could obtain permission from the 
United States government to enter upon the reservation 
and work the mine, he would disclose its whereabouts. 
All 1 can say about this branch of the case is, that with 
a great deal of delicate and masterly diplomacy, in which 
the interests of the Indians formed the principal argu- 
ment used, we secured the desired permission, and pre- 
pared for an expedition to the mine. 

It is as well here to say, for the benefit of the unin- 
itiated, that all such operations are conducted with the 
greatest secrecy and mystery, because should it be dis- 
covered that any such enterprise was on foot its project- 
ors would be watched day and night, and followed to 
their destination by half the community. 

The government sent out a. representative to see that 
the interests of the Indians were properly protected, and 
we got ready to start. The agent of the government 
was also charged to look up and report upon the 
progress of a mill for the Piutes, for which large appro- 
priations had been jiiade, and which was supposed to be 
situated on ,the rapids of the Truckey river, which is the 
outlet of Lake Tahoe, and runs about northeast in the 
direction of the Piute reservation, along the course to be 
followed by us. I mention this fact only in order to 
bring into the story the terse and witty report of the 
agent, said to have been made about his discoveries re- 
garding the mill. He said : "He found a dam by a mill 
site, but he didn't find any mill by a damn sight." 

Our outfit consisted of a light farm wagon with a 
four mule team, which we ,procured from two Mormon 
brothers, who lived in the Washoe valley, and were 



336 Tales ojf the Frontier. 

skilled guides all over Nevada, both of whom we took 
along as guides, cooks, and to drive and care for the 
team. Rose took along a pony, which we led, and the 
government agent, old Rose and myself formed the 
passenger list. We were supplied with eatables and 
drinkables for a long campaign, but as it rains but once 
a year in that country, we never encumbered ourselves 
on a march with tents, except in the rainy season. In 
fact, the ground between the sage bushes and grease- 
wood trees is so dry and clean that you don't need even 
blankets or robes to sleep on, but they are usually car- 
ried. 

Our course lay down the valley of the Truckey river 
to its big bend, where Rose was to leave us and go to 
Pyramid lake for Win-ne-muc-ca. We accomplished 
this part of the journey, a distance of about one hundred 
miles, in three days, without any special incident, except 
on one occasion, when we were rounding a projecting 
point in the river, on a ledge of rocks, some driftwood 
got entangled with the legs of our leading mules, and 
came very near dumping us all into the boiling and rush- 
ing current, which would inevitably have drowned the 
whole party ; but we reached our destination safely. At 
the big bend, which is now one of the principal stations 
on the Central Pacific Railroad, we found a spacious 
piece of bottom land, well supplied with grass for our 
animals, and a clump of six tall stately cottonwood trees, 
presenting an inviting place to camp, which we accepted 
as our resting place. 

The next morning Rose mounted his pony and start- 
ed for the lake, saying he would return in a couple of 
days with the chief, who would guide us to the mine — 
and fortune. The government agent was an old friend of 
mine, a California forty-niner, and a most companionable 



Tales of the Frontier. 337 

fellow. The Mormons were excellent cooks, and most 
efficient camp men. We had abundant camp suppHes, 
supplemented with fine fish brought to us by the In- 
dians, so we settled down for a delightful rest. Every 
night the men would make a cheerful crackling fire of 
dry driftwood from the river, hobble the mules, and fall 
asleep for the night, leaving us to enjoy the soft summer 
air and brilliant moonlight, while discussing our future 
plans when possessed of the boundless wealth that only 
awaited the coming of Rose and the chief. Before re- 
tiring for the night, which only meant lying down on a 
blanket, we usually reclined each against a tree, with a 
demijohn between us, and by the time sleep overcame us 
the fortunes of Croesus, Astor and Vanderbilt combined 
were mere trifles compared with our anticipated wealth, 
for were we not to be soon endowed with the magic 
touch of Midas ! 

We revelled in our repose, seasoned with the exal- 
tation of hope and the demijohn, until about four days 
had glided away, when even such delights began to pall, 
and became a little monotonous, and still no Rose and no 
Win-ne-muc-ca. The fifth, and even the sixth day 
passed, and yet they came not, and we were driven to the 
conclusion that either Rose had been victimized by the 
Piutes, or we had been victimized by Rose. So nothing 
was left for us but to pull up stakes and wend our weary 
way back to Carson. Here we found Rose, with the ex- 
cuse that Win-ne-muc-ca had told him that he dared not 
give up the secret of the mine for fear his band would kill 
both Rose and himself, and that he had not dared to re- 
turn to the camp for fear the Indians would follow him • 
and destroy us all. And so ended our venture. 

We came out of the enterprise wiser and poorer men, 
to the amount of about one thousand dollars. As we 



338 Tales of the Frontier. 

had left town at midnight, and returned at the same quiet 
hour, we were able to keep our adventure to ourselves, 
and escape the ridicule of more experienced miners, 
many of whom, however, had passed through similar ex- 
periences under varying circumstances. 

I have never been able fully to satisfy myself whether 
Rose acted in good faith or not, but as he had no hope 
of gain outside of the mine I am inclined to believe his 
story. 

My next mining experience resulted much the same 
way. Rich finds were reported in the Walker river 
country, and a small syndicate of us outfitted a party of 
old and experienced miners to visit the locality and see 
what they could pick up. They started in the usual 
mysterious manner, at the dead of night, and in about 
two weeks returned, and brought to my office a gunny 
bag full of ore, which they left, and we appointed a meet- 
ing the next night at one o'clock, when the town was 
supposed to be asleep, to examine the bag and pass upon 
the contents. One of the prospectors tapped the sack 
affectionately, and, winking at me in the most significant 
manner, said: ''J^-^dge, we've got the world by the tail. 
It's all pure silver, and there are a million tons of it lying 
on the top of the ground." Of course, my curiosity and 
expectations were aroused to the highest pitch, and I 
awaited the appointed hour with impatience. Before the 
party arrived, all the windows were darkened with sheets 
and blankets, refreshments were prepared, and they 
dropped in one at a time to avoid notice. The bag was 
opened and its contents displayed upon the table. It 
was a pure white and brilliant metal, about the weight 
of silver, and with the assistance of the refreshments we 
had convinced ourselves before daylight that it was all 
pure silver. 



Tales of the Frontier. 339 

I took a chunk of it about the size of an orange, and, 
with one of the miners, went down to the Mexican mill, 
to have it assayed. The assayer took it, looked it over, 
and asked if we wanted it assayed for iron. My com- 
panion immediately answered, "I'll bet you a thousand 
dollars there's no iron in it." The assayer replied : "We 
don't bet on such things, but I will soon tell you all 
about it," and, after putting it to the test, he reported : 
"Magnetic iron, ninety-five per cent ; no trace of gold or 
silver." 

We let the world's tail go, put our own between our 
legs, and went home, two of the worst disappointed men 
in all Nevada, and that was the last of my mining efforts. 



340 Tales of the Frontier. 



A UNIQUE POLITICAL CAREER. 

GEN. James Shields had a most extraordinary career. I 
remember no man in the history of our country who 
equals him in the diversity and extent of his public serv- 
ices and office-holding. He was a general in the Mexi- 
can War, and for a long time enjoyed the unique reputa- 
tion of being the only man who was ever shot through 
the lungs and survived. This, however, was not true. 
Many others, no doubt, underwent the same experience, 
and I remember a young Chippewa Indian who, while 
on a war party into the Sioux country, was wounded in 
exactly the same manner, and lived to a good old age as 
a very robust savage. 

When the general returned from the Mexican War 
to Illinois, he was exceedingly popular. He was made 
commissioner of the general land office of the United 
States and judge of the supreme court of the State of 
Illinois, and was subsequently elected to the senate of 
the United States; but when he was about to take his 
seat he ran up against the snag that is found in section 
3 of article i of the constitution of the United States, 
which provides that a senator must have been a citizen 
of the United States for nine years before election, and 
it appeared that the general fell short of the requisite 
period. The consequence was that he was rejected, and 
he had to return to his state. But the citizens of Illinois 
wanted him to represent them in the senate, and as soon 
as he attained the proper citizenship they returned him, 
and he was admitted and served his full term. The gen- 
eral found out that his chances for reelection were not 



Tales op the Frontier. 341 

flattering, and as Minnesota was about applyinp- for ad- 
mission as a state in the Union, he decided to emigrate 
to that territory. What his motives were I, of course, 
cannot say, but as I was watching closely political events, 
I concluded that he had in view an election to the senate 
from the new State of Minnesota, and I kept my eye on 
his movements. 

It was soon announced that the general had located 
the land warrant awarded to him for his services in the 
Mexican War, on a quarter section of land in the neigh- 
borhood of Faribault, in Rice county, in this territory, 
and that he intended to settle upon it. There was a lit- 
tle buncombe added to this announcement, to the efifect 
that this was the first case in the history of America 
where a general officer had settled in person upon the 
land donated to him as a reward for the services he had 
rendered and the blood he had shed for his adopted 
country. We always called the general's home "The 
blood-bought farm." 

There was an election in our territory in 1856 or 
1857, I forget which, for delegate to Congress. Henry 
M. Rice had received the nomination of the regular 
Democratic convention for the position, and General 
Gorman (then territorial governor), Henry H. Sibley 
and many other leading Democrats had deliberately 
bolted the judgment of the convention, and nominated 
David Olmsted for delegate. The fight was on hot. I, 
of course, was for Rice, the regular nominee. I then 
lived well up in the Minnesota valley, at Traverse des 
Sioux, and we were becoming a power in the territory 
in a poHtical sense, and I looked forward to the arrival 
of such a prominent Democrat as General Shields in our 
midst as an event of major political importance. He 
soon landed at Hastings, on the Mississippi, with a com- 



342 Tales of the Frontier. 

plete outfit for a permanent settlement. A good story 
is told of his advent at Hastings. In those days of 
steamboating, all the belongings of an immigrant would 
be landed on the levee and his freight bill would be pre- 
sented to him by what we called the mud clerk, and he 
would take an account of his stock and pay the freight. 
Legend reports that the general had five barrels of whis- 
ky among his paraphernalia, and when the first one was 
rolled ashore he seated himself upon it to watch the de- 
barkation, and when the bill was presented he refused to 
pay it because he could see only four barrels, and de- 
manded the fifth. The clerks got on to the joke, and 
pretended to search for the missing barrel until the last 
whistle blew, when they suggested to the general that 
he was occupying the disturbing element. Whether the 
contents of the barrel ever caused any other misunder- 
standings history fails to record. 

As soon as the general was comfortably settled on the 
blood-bought farm I dispatched a courier across the 
country to him, informing him of the political situation, 
and imploring him to come out for the regular Demo- 
cratic ticket ; but he replied in a very diplomatic way that 
he was too new a comer to take any active part in the 
election, and declined. Tom Cowan, George Magruder 
and I, a trio which composed the leadership of the 
Democracy of the Minnesota valley, decided that the 
general should never go to the senate if we could prevent 
it, and it so happened that when the first legislature of 
the state assembled Tom Cowan was in the senate, but 
all our efforts to beat him failed, and Henry M. Rice and 
the general were elected to the United States Senate. It 
was hard to beat a man in those days who was a Demo- 
crat, an Irishman and a wounded soldier. 

The only unlucky thing that the general ever en- 



Tales op the Frontier. 343 

countered was the fact that he drew the short term when 
the lots were cast for the positions the new senators were 
to assume. 

The general served out his term in the senate just 
about the time the Civil War broke out, and he ten- 
dered his services to the country, and became a general 
of volunteers. He was wounded in some battle, and I 
remember reading a general order announcing that he 
had sufficiently recovered to ride at the head of his bri- 
gade in a buggy. I took advantage of this singular po- 
sition for a military commander, and impressed into the 
service of the state a splendid $2,000 team of trotters be- 
longing to Harry Lamberton, with his buggy, and him- 
self as driver, and rode comfortably in it until the end of 
the Indian war, at the head of my brigade. 

The general was not long in discovering that the po- 
litical wind had taken a RepubHcan direction in Minne- 
sota, which boded him no good. So he pulled up stakes 
and emigrated to Texas. There he felt the public pulse, 
and not finding any immediate indications that he would 
be chosen senator, and not having any pressing business 
in any other line, he emigrated to California. There he 
found a more favorable outlook, and almost as soon as he 
gained a residence in the state he was nominated for the 
United States Senate by the Democrats, and came with- 
in one or two votes of an election. 

The general had always been a bachelor before going 
to California, but he surrendered to the charms of a lady 
of that state, and married. Not being willing to remain 
until the next senatorial election, he migrated to the 
State of Missouri, where he was very soon elected to 
congress by a substantial majority of about 3,000; but, it 
being in the reconstruction period, and he being a Dem- 
ocrat, the state board found no difficulty in counting him 



344 Tales of the Frontier. 

out, after which event very httle was heard of the gen- 
eral for some years, when he appeared on the lecture 
platform, discoursing on Mexico. This venture was not 
much of a success, and the general was reputed to be 
quite broken up financially. 

His next appearance was at Washington as a candi- 
date for doorkeeper of the senate, which office, I believe, 
is one of both dignity and profit ; but he did not succeed 
in getting it, and returned to Missouri, broken in fortune 
and spirit. It was just at this critical period in his career 
that his luck returned, and he became famous in a direc- 
tion that no other man in the United States has ever 
reached. A vacancy occurred in the ofiice of United 
States senator from Missouri, either by death or some 
other reason, and the governor bestowed the position 
upon the general, thus making him a member of the 
body of which he had so recently sought to become the 
doorkeeper, and conferring upon him the pecuhar and 
conspicuous distinction of being the only man in the re- 
public who ever represented three states in the senate 
of the United States. 

The general died some years ago, and the state of his 
original adoption, Illinois, conferred the additional im- 
mortal honor upon his memory by placing his full-length 
statue in bronze in the old house of representatives at 
the capitol in Washington, which has become the Ameri- 
can Pantheon, in which each state is permitted to com- 
memorate in this way two of its most honored sons. 

Truly a most extraordinary and enviable career. 



Tales of the Frontier. 345 



LA CROSSE. 

THERE is nothing remarkable in the fact that places 
should be named for something that has happened in 
or about their locality, and nothing is more natural than 
that places on the upper Mississippi river should be 
named after Indians and Indian occurrences. For in- 
stance, we have Prairie du Chien, which is the French 
for the Dog prairie. In early days an Indian chief, who 
sailed under the dignified name of "The Dog," had his 
headquarters at this prairie, and thus the name. It will 
be observed that it has maintained its name in full, 
"Prairie du Chien," and was, in days past, a military post, 
called Fort Crawford, and is now quite an important 
town in Wisconsin. 

A little way up the river, and we have "Prairie La 
Crosse," but the first part of the name is generally 
dropped now, and it is known as La Crosse simply. No 
old settler, however, who dates back of the fifties, ever 
calls it anything but "Prairie La Crosse." This place got 
its name from the fact that the Indians selected it as a 
favorite point at which to play their game, known to 
them as "Ta-kap-si-ka-pi," but called by the French, 
"La Crosse." Anyone who has been there, and is familiar 
with the prairie on which the city of La Crosse is built, 
will recognize at once its superior advantages for a game 
of ball of any kind. It is long, wide and level. This 
game has always been a great favorite with the Sioux 
Indians. It originated with them, and became what 
might be called their national g-ame. From its spirited 
character, it was very much liked by the Canadian- 



346 . Tales of the Frontier. 

French, and they adopted it to such an extent that it is 
called their national game, but under an entirely differ- 
ent name. They called it "La Crosse," and are still de- 
voted to it. In fact, it is played very generally through- 
out the northern half of North America. In playing the 
game, the Indians used a stick made of ash about the 
length of a walking cane with a circular bend at the end 
most distant from the hand, in which curve was a net- 
work of buckskin strings, forming a pocket, about four 
inches in diameter and two inches deep. With this stick, 
which is called a "Ta-ki-cap-si-cha," the ball is manipu- 
lated. The ball is of wood, round, and about the size of 
a hen's egg, and in the game must never be touched b}'- 
the hand. The Canadians have changed the form of 
stick used by them, by making it longer, and forming 
the end that takes the ball something like half of a ten- 
nis racquette. 

The site of La Crosse was in early years the favorite 
ball ground of the Indians, and from this circumstance 
acquired its present name. The game is too well known 
to need a description. Suffice it to say that the main ob- 
ject is to get the ball to certain goals by two contending 
parties struggling in dififerent directions. In its main 
features it resembles hockey, polo, football, and similar 
games ; but with the Indians differs in point of the num- 
bers who play, the whites being limited to eleven or 
twelve on a side, while with the Indians a whole band 
may play on each side. 

When the Sioux were moved west of the Mississippi 
they selected the beautiful prairie on which now stands 
St. Peter, in this state, as one of their most favored ball 
grounds, and many a time I have enjoyed witnessing the 
game at that locality, and a most brilliant and exciting 
scene it presented. The Sioux, like most savages, are 



Tales of the Frontier. 347 

great gamblers, and the first thing in the game is to put 
up the stakes, which is done in this way : A committee 
is appointed by each contesting party as stakeholders. 
They assemble at a designated point on the prairie, and 
await results. Presently up will come an Indian, and 
put up a pony. He will soon be followed by a com- 
petitor, who will cover his pony with another, decided to 
be of the same value. Then up will come another, and 
put up a rifle, or a feather headdress or a knife, all which 
will be matched from the other side, until all the bets 
are made. If the players are numerous, the stakes will 
accumulate until almost everything known as property 
in Indian life will be ventured. It sometimes takes sev- 
eral days to arrange these preliminaries. A pleasant 
afternoon is selected, and the contestants appear. They 
are usually very nearly naked, having on only mocca- 
sins, a breech-clout and a head-dress; the two latter ar- 
ticles, being susceptible of ornamentation, are usually 
adorned with eagle feathers, foxtails, or a string of 
sleighbells about the player's waist. The men are paint- 
ed in the most grotesque and fantastic manner. It is 
not unusual to see some of them painted blue or yellow 
all over their persons, and before the paint has dried it 
is streaked with their fingers in zig-zag fashion from 
head to foot, sometimes up and down and sometimes ze- 
bra fashion. A yellow face with the imprint of a black 
or blue open hand diagonally upon it is much affected; 
in fact, the greater the ingenuity displayed in savage de- 
sign and glaring colors, the more satisfied the subject 
seems to be with himself and the more admired by oth- 
ers. 

When the players are all lined up they present a strik- 
ing appearance. About six on each side take the cen- 
ter from which the ball is to be started, and the rest scat- 



348 Tai.es of the Frontier. 

ter themselves over the prairie for half a mile in each 
direction, to speed the ball, should it come their w^ay. 

All ready : one, two, three, and up goes the ball into 
the air, and as it falls, up goes each Ta-ki-cap-si-cha in 
an endeavor to catch it, and so skillful are the men that 
it is very often caught in the little pocket while in the air, 
which is a great advantage, as the party catching it has 
the right if he can to throw it in the direction of his 
friends, and, with a free chance, it is like throwing a ball 
out of a sling. I have seen one sent nearly a quarter of 
a mile. If the game opens in this way, there is, of course, 
a great rush by the partisans to capture the ball and keep 
it moving one way or the other; but if at the first toss 
up it falls to the ground, there is a tussle of all the mid- 
dle men to see which one shall get it with his stick that 
puts civilized football in the shade. Shins are whacked, 
men are tripped and piled onto each other in the utmost 
confusion, until some lucky fellow extricates the ball 
from the mass, and sends it flying towards a group of 
his friends. The Sioux are splendid runners, and some- 
times when twenty or thirty of them will be in full chase 
of the ball, a leading man will tumble, and the whole line 
will pile over him ; but no matter how rough or boister- 
ous the sport may be, I have never known a quarrel to 
grow out of it. There must be rules to this effect gov- 
erning the game, such as they have in a Japanese 
wrestHng match, where the parties, before tackling each 
other, sprinkle salt between them, which is a pledge that 
even a broken neck will not interrupt friendship. I think 
I have seen more feats of wonderful skill in running, 
jumping and catching in a game of this kind than in any 
play of a similar nature I have ever witnessed. 

No one who has seen the Indians play a good game 
of Ta-kap-si-ka-pi has ever forgotten it. Major East- 



Tales of the Frontier. 349 

man of the old army, who was quite an artist, attempted 
to depict the scene on canvas, and while he made an 
excellent picture which would please the eye of anyone 
who had not seen the real thing, he found it impossible 
to convey an adequate idea of its best points. The pic- 
ture, I think, is now either in the rooms of the Wisconsin 
Historical Society, or in the Cochran gallery of Wash- 
ington. 

One of the noticeable results of a game of this kind, 
played on a virgin prairie, was the great number of huge 
snakes the players would kill. I have seen as many as 
would load a wagon piled up after a game, some of them 
ten or twelve feet long. They were called in those days 
bull snakes, and were considered of the constrictor spe- 
cies, but not venomous. 



350 Tales of the Frontier. 



MAKING A POST OFFICE. 

I HAD settled on the frontier, where Traverse des 
Sioux and Mankato were the extreme border towns in 
southwestern Minnesota. About the year 1854 or 1855 
a German settlement was commenced at New Ulm. It 
originated in Cincinnati, with an association which sent 
out parties to find a site for a town, and they selected the 
present site of New Ulm. The lands had not been sur- 
veyed by the general government, but our delegate in 
congress, Henry M. Rice, had anticipated that by ob- 
taining the passage of the law allowing settlement and 
preemption on unsurveyed lands. Under the law a town 
site could only embrace 320 acres, but the projectors of 
New Ulm laid out an immense tract, comprising thou- 
sands of acres. Many of the settlers had not taken any 
steps toward becoming American citizens, which was a 
necessary preliminary to preemption, and everything 
among them was held in a kind of common interest, the 
Cincinnati society furnishing the funds. 

It was not long before they discovered that they 
needed legal advice in their venture, and called on me to 
regulate their matters for them. I was deputy clerk of 
the court, and always carried the seal and naturalization 
papers with me, so that I could take the declaration of 
intention of anyone who desired to become an American 
citizen anywhere I happened to find him, on the prairie 
or elsewhere. In this way I qualified many of the Ger- 
mans for preemption, and took them by the steamboat 
load down to Winona to enter their lands. I would be 
furnished with a large bag of gold to pay for the lands. 



Tales of the Frontier. 351 

and sometimes, with the special conveniences furnished 
by the land office, I would work off forty or fifty pre- 
emptions in a day. I became such a necessary factor in 
the building of the town that, if any difficulty occurred, 
even in the running of a mill which they erected and ran 
by the accumulated water of many large springs, I was 
immediately sent for to remedy the evil. 

The nearest postoffice was at Fort Ridgely, about six- 
teen miles away, and it soon became apparent that one 
ought to be established in the town. I was, of course, 
sent for to see if it could be accomplished. It was a 
very easy thing to do with the very efficient and influ- 
ential delegate we had in congress, Hon. Henry M. Rice. 
Having agreed upon a Mr. Anton Kouse as postmaster, 
I at once wrote to Mr. Rice to give the new settlement 
a postoffice. It was not long before I received an an- 
swer, which contained the postmaster's commission, his 
bond for execution, a key for the mail bags, and all the 
requisites for a going postoffice. 

The New Ulm people were a very social lot, and my 
visits to the town always included a good deal of fun, so 
I concluded to make a special event of the establishment 
of the new postoffice, and, as the weather was fine, I in- 
vited half a dozen friends to accompany me in a drive to 
New Ulm, to participate in the opening ceremonies. 

One of the earliest settlers in the town was Francis 
Baasen, who became Minnesota's first secretary of state, 
and was a gallant officer in the First Minnesota Regi- 
ment, so celebrated in the War of the Rebellion, and 
has recently been appointed by Governor Lind as as- 
sistant adjutant general of the state. He had a claim 
about two miles below the town, just where the ferry 
crossed the Minnesota river, at Red Stone, and had 
erected a log shanty there, in which he lived. Of 



352 Talks of the Frontier. 

course, we always called on Baasen on our way up, and 
also on our way back, when we visited New Ulm. Baa- 
sen was a charming gentleman, and while his shack was 
destitute of any of the luxuries or elegancies of life, there 
was a door, or hatchway, in the middle of the floor, which 
led to a kind of cellar, the contents of which supplied all 
the deficiencies of the house, and, flavored with the gen- 
erous hospitality of the proprietor, made everybody 
happy. 

On this occasion we stopped to take Baasen into the 
party, and while discussing the great event which 
brought us up, I decided to add some new features to the 
inauguration of the new postmaster. Baasen had been 
appointed a notary public, and was provided with large 
business-like envelopes and formidable red seals, so I 
wrote a letter to Mr, Kouse in about the following lan- 
guage : 

"Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C, 

"July 20, 1855. 
"Hon. Anton Kouse, Postmaster at New Ulm, Territory of 
Minnesota, 

"Sir : We have been informed that a flourishing set- 
tlement has been founded on the waters of the upper 
Minnesota river, in Minnesota Territory, which has been 
named New Ulm, and that the inhabitants are suffl- 
ciently numerous and intelligent to need a postofflce. 
It has also been represented to us that you are a good 
and true Democrat, and the choice of the people for the 
offlce of postmaster. It is therefore our duty and pleas- 
ure to appoint you to that office. It is our desire that 
you locate the office in a part of the town which will ac- 



Tales of the Frontier. 353 

commodate its inhabitants, and see to it that they always 
vote the Democratic ticket at all elections. I am, 
"Yours very truly, 
(Seal) "FRANKLIN PIERCE, 

"President of the United States of America." 

I inclosed this letter in one of Baasen's large en- 
velopes, and we all drove up to the house of Mr. Kouse, 
and called him out. I stood up in the wagon, and made 
him a speech, informing him of the creation of the office, 
and that I had his bond and commission and a letter to 
him from the president of the United States, which I 
was instructed to deliver to him in person, and I added 
that it was customary on such important occasions for 
the newly appointed postmaster to propose the health of 
the postmaster general. 

Kouse rushed into his house, and appeared with a 
brown jug and a tin cup, from which we all drank a 
bumper to the health and prosperity of the postmaster 
general, the town of New Ulm, and its postmaster. I 
then handed him his credentials, including the letter 
from the president, and the postoffice at New Ulm was 
a reality. 

I have never learned whether my friend Kouse 
caught on to the joke, or whether he has cherished the 
executive letter as an heirloom for his posterity. 



23 



354 Tales of the Frontier. 



THE COURAGE OF CONVICTION. 

IN 1864-65 I was living in Carson City, in the State of 
Nevada, where, from the abnormal condition of the 
inhabitants, it was nothing- remarkable that some event 
should happen almost daily that otherwise would have 
been startling. Many such events did take place, but, 
from their frequency, were soon forgotten. There was 
one, however, that impressed itself upon my memory be- 
cause of the cool daring that characterized it, and it must 
be understood that bravery was not an uncommon trait 
in the inhabitants of Carson. Men carried their lives in 
their hands, and quite frequently lost them. 

In order to appreciate the situation fully, you must 
know that the population of Carson City was composed 
of about the roughest and most disorderly agglomera- 
tion of the refuse of Cahfornia that was ever assembled 
at any one time or place, — gamblers, murderers, road 
agents, and all sorts of unclassified toughs. They were 
about evenly divided between the North and the South, 
— the only politics being pronounced Unionism on one 
side and outspoken rebellion on the other; but, as any 
discussion between representatives of such views during 
the hottest period of the war was generally concluded 
with six-shooters, all parties kept pretty quiet on the 
subject, and politics was about the least exciting cause 
of murder, there being others suf^cientlv numerous to 
give us a "man for breakfast" nearly every morning. 

Like all Pacific Coast mining towns, Carson had an 
immense saloon, with all the sporting attachments, such 
as billiards, roulette, faro, poker, etc., and at all times 



Tales of the Frontier. 355 

of the day and night it was frequented by hundreds of 
men, who amused themselves talking, drinking, gam- 
bling and reading their letters, as most of them received 
their correspondence at these headquarters. It was 
called the "Magnolia," and was kept by Pete Hopkins, 
who, I believe, still flourishes in San Francisco. 

The telegraph had reached us in 1862, and we kept 
pretty well posted on what was going on in the States. 
On the 14th of April, 1865, it was flashed over the wires 
that President Lincoln had been assassinated, and the 
excitement was intense. Men studiously avoided the 
subject, for fear of being misunderstood and being 
drawn into deadly conflict. The news was not credited 
at first, but soon became confirmed, and generally ac- 
cepted as true. The Union men determined that some 
public demonstration should be made to recognize the 
event. A meeting was held, and a committee appointed 
to formulate a program. It was decided to put the town 
in mourning, have a procession and mock funeral, an 
oration and appropriate resolutions, — all of which was 
the correct thing. An evening or two before the cere- 
mony was to take place the committee came down to 
the Magnolia, to announce publicly what it had decided 
upon. The chairman mounted the bar and made his 
proclamation, adding that anyone who failed to hang out 
some emblem of mourning on his house or place of busi- 
ness might expect to be roughly handled. 

The room was crowded, and with the most inflamma- 
ble material. Had a bomb been exploded on one of the 
billiard tables the effect would not have stirred the rebels 
to greater depths. Among them was an old Virginian, 
whom we will call Captain Jones. He almost immedi- 
ately accepted the challenge, and speaking up loudly, he 
said : "I am damned glad Lincoln was killed, and if any 



356 Tales of the Frontier. 

man attempts to put mourning on my house, or inter- 
fere with me for not doing so, there will be a good many 
more killed." 

Everybody knew that the old man meant just what 
he said, and was always equipped to make good his 
promises. The effect was remarkable. Instead of pre- 
cipitating a fight, it seemed to paralyze the crowd, and 
nothing came of it that night; the captain was wise 
enough quietly to disappear. 

Captain Jones had a small brick building on the main 
street of the town, a block or two from the Magnolia, 
where he had his office, and lived in a back room. 

At the proper time the procession formed on the 
plaza. Bands of music were interspersed through the 
line. The orator and distinguished citizens were in car- 
riages, every vehicle in town being brought into requisi- 
tion. There was a large cavalcade of horsemen. I rode 
in a handsome buggy, with the principal gambler of the 
town, and many hundred footmen followed, the China- 
men bringing up the rear. It was a beautiful day, the 
sun shining brightly. The procession moved off ma- 
jestically down a back street, off the main thoroughfare, 
and then turned into the principal street. Every house 
on the line of march displayed signs of mourning on 
both sides of the street. Soon appeared in the distance 
Captain Jones, sitting just outside the line of the side- 
walk, in the street, exactly in front of his house. His 
head was bare, and his long white hair glistened in the 
sunshine. He sat in an arm-chair, with an immense dou- 
ble-barrelled shotgun poised quietly across his knees. 
He was carelessly reading a newspaper, and not a sem- 
blance of mourning was to be seen anywhere on his 
premises. As the head of the procession reached him 
hundreds of hands involuntarily sought their revolvers, 



Tales of the Frontier. 857 

and every man held his breath; even the music ceased, 
and the expectation was intense. There were many in 
the Hne who would have shot him if they had dared, but 
they knew he had hosts of friends in the hne who would 
have resented it instantly, and to the death, and they 
also knew the captain's eye was coursing down the line 
and the first shot would be answered by the contents of 
both barrels of his big gun. So no one fired; no one 
spoke ; hardly anyone looked. The captain never moved 
a muscle, and the column passed. 

I remember once of reading an incident in connec- 
tion with the French army. While marching in Africa 
it encountered a splendid African lion, lying in the road, 
who did not seem disposed to give the right of way. The 
army halted. The circumstance was reported to the 
commanding officer and instructions asked whether they 
should kill the royal beast or march round him. The 
orders were to march round him. I have never thought 
of the incident here related without recalling the cool 
bravery of the king of beasts ; but I always award the su- 
periority to my friend, Captain Jones. 



358 Tales of the Frontier. 



HOW THE CAPITAL WAS SAVED 

THE ancestors of Joe Rolette, the leading character in 
the story which I am about to relate, emigrated at a 
very early day from Normandy, in France, to Canada. 
It is believed that the celebrated Montcalm was one of 
this party. Many of these emigrants became disheart- 
ened by the hardships they encountered, and returned to 
France; but not so the Rolettes. Jean Joseph Ro- 
lette, the father of our Joseph, was born in Quebec, on 
Sept. 24, 1 78 1. . He was originally designed for the 
priesthood, but fortunately for that holy order his in- 
clinations led him in another direction, and he became an 
Indian trader. His first venture in business was at Mon- 
treal, next at Windsor opposite Detroit, finally winding 
up at Prairie du Chien, about the year 1801 or 1802. 

In the war of 18 12, with Great Britain, the Ameri- 
cans captured Prairie du Chien in 18 14, and built a 
stockade there, which was called Fort Shelby. The Brit- 
ish, under Colonel McKay, besieged it, Rolette having 
some rank in the attacking party. He was offered a 
captaincy in the British army for his good behavior in 
this affair, but declined it. He continued his Indian trade 
successfully up to 1820, when John Jacob Astor offered 
him a leading position in the American Fur Company, 
which he accepted, and held until 1836, when he was 
succeeded by Hercules L. Dousman. He died at Prairie 
du Chien, Dec. i, 1842, leaving a widow and two chil- 
dren, a son and daughter. His daughter married Cap- 
tain Hood of the United States army, and was a very 
superior woman. His son was the hero of this story. 



Tales of the Frontier. 359 

Rolette senior was called by the Indians, "Sheyo" ("The 
Prairie Chicken"), from the rapidity with which he trav- 
elled. Joe was called "Slieyo chehint Ku" ("The Prairie 
Chicken's Son"). 

Joe Rolette was born on Oct. 23, 1820, at Prairie du 
Chien. He received a commercial education in New 
York, but having inherited the free and easy, half-sav- 
age characteristics of his father, he soon gravitated to the 
border, and settled at Pembina, on the Red River of the 
North, near the dividing line between the United States 
and Canada. At this point an extensive trade in furs 
had sprung up, in opposition to the Hudson Bay people, 
who had monopoHzed the trade for British interests for 
many long years. The catch of furs was brought down 
to the Mississippi every year by brigades of carts, con- 
structed entirely of wood and rawhide, which were 
drawn by a single horse or ox, and carried a load of 
from 800 to 1,000 pounds. These vehicles were admira- 
bly adapted to the country, which was in a perfectly nat- 
ural state, without roads of any kind, except the trail 
worn by the carts. They could easily pass over a slough 
that would obstruct any other forms of wheeled carriage, 
and one man could drive four or five of them, each being 
hitched behind the other. They were readily constructed 
on the border, by the unskilled half-breeds, where iron 
was unobtainable. This trade, with an occasional ar- 
rival of dog trains in the winter, was the only connecting 
link between far away Pembina and St. Paul. 

When the Territory of Minnesota was organized, in 
1849, St. Paul was designated as the capital, and a plain 
but suitable building was erected by the United States 
for the purpose of the local government, and when fin- 
ished the territorial legislature convened there annually. 

Joe Rolette, being the leading citizen of Pembina, 



360 Tales of the Frontier. 

and naturally desirous of spending his winters at the 
capital, had himself elected to the legislature, first to the 
house of representatives in 1853, and again in 1854 and 
1855. In 1856 and 1857 he was returned to the council, 
which was the upper house, corresponding to the senate 
as the legislature is now composed. This body consisted 
of fifteen members. The sessions were limited by the 
organic act to sixty days. 

That the capital should be located and remain at St. 
Paul had been determined by the leading citizens of this 
region, as far as they could decide this question, before 
the organization of the territory, but there were from the 
beginning manifestations of a desire to remove it ex- 
hibited in several localities. Wm. R. Marshall resided 
at St. Anthony, and at the first session in 1849 worked 
hard to have it removed to that point, but failed, and 
no serious attempt was again made until 1857, when, on 
February 6th, a bill was introduced by a councillor from 
St. Cloud, to remove it to St. Peter, a town on the Min- 
nesota river, which had grown into considerable im- 
portance. General Gorman was the governor, and large- 
ly interested in St. Peter. He gave the scheme the 
weight of his influence. Winona, through its councillor, 
St. A, D. Balcombe, was a warm advocate of the change, 
and enough influence was secured to carry the bill in 
both houses. It, however, only passed the council by 
one majority, eight voting in its favor, and seven against 
it. 

It was at this point in the fight that Rolette proved 
himself a bold and successful strategist. He was a 
friend of St. Paul, and was determined that the plan 
should not succeed if it was possible for him to prevent 
it. He never calculated chances or hesitated at respon- 
sibilities, but would undertake any desperate measure to 



Tales of the Frontier. 361 

carry a point with the same unreflecting dash and heed- 
lessness of danger that he would plunge his horse into a 
herd of buffalo, shooting right and left, trusting to luck 
to extricate him. It happened that Joe was chairman of 
the committee on enrolled bills of the council, and all 
bills had to pass through his hands for enrollment and 
comparison. On the 27th of February the removal bill 
reached him, and he instantly decided that the legisla- 
ture should never see it again, so he put it in his pocket 
and disappeared. He had, however, foresight enough 
carefully to deposit the bill in the vault of Truman M. 
Smith's bank, in the Fuller House, on the corner of Sev- 
enth and Jackson streets, before his vanishment. 

On the 28th Joe did not appear in his seat, and no 
one seemed to know anything of his whereabouts. As 
his absence was prolonged, some of the advocates of the 
removal became uneasy, and sent to the enrollment com- 
mittee for the bill, but none of them knew anything 
about it. At this point Mr. Balcombe offered a resolu- 
tion, calling on Rolette to report the bill forthwith, and 
on his failure to do so, that the next member of the com- 
mittee, Mr. Wales, procure another enrolled copy and 
report it. He then moved the previous question on his 
resolution. At this point, Mr. Setzer, a friend of St. 
Paul, moved a call of the council, and Mr. Rolette, being 
reported absent, the sergeant-at-arms was sent out to 
find him, and bring him in. 

To comprehend the full bearings of the situation, it 
should be known that, under the rules, no business could 
be transacted while the council was under a call, and 
that it required a two-thirds vote to dispense with the 
call. As I have said before, the bill was passed in the 
council by a vote of eight for and seven against, which 
was the full vote of the body; but in the absence of Ro- 



362 Tales of the Frontier. 

lette there were only fourteen present. Luckily for St. 
Paul, it takes as ^nany to make two-thirds of fourteen as 
it does to make two-thirds of fifteen, and the friends of 
the bill could only muster nine on the motion to dis- 
pense with the* call. Mr. John B. Brisbin was president 
of the council, and a strong friend of St. Paul, so no re- 
laxation of the rules could be hoped for from him. In 
this dilemma, the friends of removal were forced to des- 
perate extremes, and Mr. Balcombe actually made an 
extended argument to prove to the chair that ^line was 
two-thirds of fourteen. Both gentlemen were gradu- 
ates of Yale, and, on the completion of his argument, 
Mr. Brisbin said, "Balcombe, we never figured that way 
at Yale; the motion is lost," and the council found itself 
at a deadlock, with the call pending, and no hope of 
transacting any business, unless some member of the 
five yielded. They were all steadfast, however, and there 
was nothing to do but to receive the daily report of the 
sergeant-at-arms that Mr. Rolette could not be found. 
Sometimes he would report a rumor that Rolette had 
been seen at some town up the river, making for Pem- 
bina with a dog train, at the rate of fifteen miles an hour ; 
again, that he had been assassinated, — in fact, every- 
thing but the truth, which was that he was luxuriously 
quartered in the upper story of the Fuller House, hav- 
ing the joUiest time of his life, surrounded by friends, 
male and female, and supplied with the best the town 
afforded, including buckets of champagne. 

The 5th of March was the last day of the session, and 
the council camped in its chamber, theoretically hand- 
cuffed and hobbled, until midnight of that day, when 
President Brisbin took the chair, and pronounced the 
council adjourned sine die. 

The sergeant-at-arms was John Lamb, well known 



Tales of the Frontier. 363 

to all old settlers. He was a resident of St. Paul, and 
true to her interests, as his conduct proved. I don't 
suppose any man ever spent five days and nights trying 
harder how not to find his man than he did on this oc- 
casion. Whether his fidelity was ever rewarded I am 
unable to say. 

During the deadlock the friends of removal got a 
copy of the bill through, but neither the speaker of the 
house nor the president of the council would sign it. 
The governor, however, did approve it, but the first time 
it was tested in court it was pronounced invalid, and set 
aside. Other attempts at capital removal were made, 
but none of them proved successful. 

Rolette and I were close friends. We had served to- 
gether in the council at its preceding session, and after- 
wards in the constitutional convention, and always 
roomed together when in St. Paul. I lived at Traverse 
des Sioux, which is next door to St. Peter, at the time of 
this attempt to remove the capital there, but vigorously 
opposed the measure. Rolette's life was threatened by 
the friends of removal, and many is the night I have 
played the part of bodyguard to him, armed to the teeth ; 
but fortunately he was not assailed. 

As I rather admired the plucky manner in which my 
friend had stood by St. Paul in this, the hour of her dan- 
ger, I conceived the idea of preserving the event to his- 
tory by presenting his portrait to the Historical Society 
of the state, which I did, in April, 1890, and also hung 
one in the Minnesota Club. It is a capital likeness, rep- 
resenting him, full life size, in the wild and picturesque 
costume of the border. A brass tablet on the frame is 
inscribed with the following legend: "The Hon. Joe 
Rolette, who saved the capital to St. Paul, by running 
away with the bill removing it to St. Peter, in 1857." 



364 Tales of the Frontier. 

Joe died at Pembina, and is buried in the graveyard 
of the old Catholic church of Belencourt, under a cross 
of oak, which once bore the words : 

"Here reposes Joseph Rolette. 
"Born Oct. 23, 1820. 
"Died May 16, 1871." 

The simple chronicle is long since efifaced. 
"Requiescat in pace!" is the wish and hope of his his- 
torian and friend. 




Tales of the Frontier. 365 



AN EDITOR INCOG. 

IN the years 1864 and 1865 I lived in Carson City, the 
capital of Nevada, which recently became famous as 
the place where the great prize fight between Bob Fitz- 
simmons and Gentleman Jim Corbett occurred. The 
racecourse which became the arena on that occasion 
was during all the time of my residence there used by me 
daily as a gymnasium for exercise. I had very little to 
do with the actual politics of the country, because I was, 
and had always been, a Democrat of the most uncompro- 
mising character, and the party divisions out in that 
country were between the Republicans and men from 
the Southern States, who were generally outspoken 
rebels; and as it was in the midst of the Civil War, the 
feeling was intense between them. I was a warm sup- 
porter of the war for the Union, and found myself in the 
position of a man without a party. The situation did 
not incommode me, however, as I was fully occupied 
outside the realm of politics. 

There were two daily newspapers published in the 
town, — one Republican, which was called the Carson 
Daily Appeal, and the other Democratic, called the Even- 
ing Post. There were no associated press dispatches, 
although the telegraph had reached the Pacific Coast 
and the San Francisco papers had the benefit of that 
great purveyor of news. 

The proprietor of the plant of the Republican paper 
was an old Minnesota man, and a friend of mine, with 
whom I frequently came in contact, both in a business 
and social way. Under this condition of things, you 



366 Tales of the Frontier. 

may imagine my surprise and consternation when I tell 
you that one day he rushed into my office in a great state 
of excitement, and told me that his editor had left him 
and gone to San Francisco, and that he could not keep 
his paper going unless I would run it until he could ar- 
range for another editor, adding that a failure to publish 
it for a single day would ruin him. At first I looked 
upon the proposition as utterly out of the question, and 
said: "How can I edit a Republican newspaper, when 
I am at swords' points with everything they believe and 
advocate?" It was with him, however, "a groundhog 
case," as we used to call such imperative occasions. He 
had to get him, as he was out of meat. He was per- 
sistent in his demands, and as the negotiations pro- 
gressed, I began to look upon the matter as a good joke, 
and finally promised that I would undertake to keep the 
paper going if he would swear that he would never dis- 
close my identity, which condition he promised faith- 
fully to observe. 

It was a matter that admitted of no delay. I had to 
prepare a column and a half of editorial that night for 
the next morning's issue. What I wrote about, I don't 
pretend to remember, but it was well received, and its 
Republican orthodoxy was never questioned, and I re- 
peated the dose daily for some time with the same suc- 
cess, growing more and more violent in my attacks on 
the Democracy in each successive issue. Carson was a 
small town, and, as the old editor was missed by his 
friends, public curiosity increased as to who had suc- 
ceeded him, and I enrolled myself among the guessers, 
and improved every occasion to criticise publicly the ed- 
itorials. It soon became very tiresome and difficult to 
maintain my ground, with politics as the sole text for my 
editorials, and as news was very scarce, I sought relief in 



Tales of the Frontier. 367 

any channel that opened a way. A great race took place 
in San Francisco between Charley Brian's ever victori- 
ous horse, Lodi, and a colt of the celebrated stallion Lex- 
ington, named Norfolk, for which Joe Winters of Car- 
son had paid fifteen thousand and one dollars to the 
owner of Lexington, — Lord Bob Alexander of Ken- 
tucky, — especially to make the race with Lodi. The 
$15,001 was exacted by the owner of Lexington, be- 
cause he had been laughed at for paying $15,000 for 
Lexington when he was old and blind, and had said he 
would sell his colts for more than he had paid for their 
sire. This race, of course, created an immense excite- 
ment. At least twenty thousand people went to see it, 
and everybody on the Pacific Coast from the forty-ninth 
parallel to the Mexican line had a bet on the result. 
Lodi was beaten, and as Nevada was the victor, and I 
knew all about Lexington, I wrote several essays on 
race horses in general and Norfolk in particular. 

The office of sheriff of our county was a very hazard- 
ous one, every incumbent of it prior to the then holder 
having "died with his boots on." Tim Smith, who filled 
the office when I was there, and had shown desperate 
courage on several occasions in the performance of his 
duties, had gained my admiration and friendship, and af- 
forded me a good text, and I wrote him up. 

There was an ex-governor of California residing in 
Carson with whom I became intimate, and on one occa- 
sion I wrote him up ; and last, but not least, I made the 
acquaintance of a beautiful and accomplished lady living 
in the town, and as such a person was a phenomenon in 
that rude land, I was inspired to write her up, and did 
so in the following poem : 



368 Tales of the Frontier. 

"This descriptive epigram is dedicated to the most beautiful 
woman in Carson City, by the editor: 
"Gorgeous tresses, exquisitely arrayed; 
Noble brow where intellect's displayed; 
Liquid eyes that penetrate the heart; 
Teeth of pearl, whose brilliancy impart 
To the whole expression of the face 
A ray of love, a fascinating sense of grace. 
A bust — but here presumptuous mortal stay: 
Let artist gods this beauteous bust portray; 
Splendor, royalty, magnificence combined, 
A Venus in Diana's arms entwined. 
The tiny hand, so soft, so pure, so white, 
Robs its emerald gem of half its light. 
The secret charms beneath her robe-folds hidden, 
Like heavens' joys to mortal eyes forbidden, 
Are dimly outlined to our rapturous gaze. 
Like veiled statues through a marble haze. 
Her fairy foot, as in the graceful waltz it glides, 
Our admiration equally divides. 

And proves, that of her many charms of form and voice. 
If one you had to choose, you could not make the choice. 
Their perfect harmony is like the arch's span; 
Displace one stone, you destroy the noble plan." 

My political attacks did not seem to make much im- 
pression on my Democratic cotemporary, and he paid 
very little attention to what I said, feeling, no doubt, in- 
different in the overwhelming majority of the Republi- 
can party, but when I branched out in the line I have 
indicated, he opened on me savagely in several editori- 
als. He said the Appeal had discovered a soft-soap 
mine, and had used it lavishly to lather governors, sher- 
iffs, ladies, and a great many other people, for the pur- 
pose of gaining their support and patronage, all of which 
afforded me a fine opportunity of getting back at him 
in a humorous, and at the same time effective manner, 
so I shot at him in verse, which I will repeat ; but to a 
full understanding of it, I will explain that all mining 
claims are measured by the number of feet the claimant 
owns on the ledge, and the word "feet" became synony- 
mous with the mine itself. This was my answer: 



Tales of the Frontier. 369 

"SOAP." 

"Great renovator of the human race! 

Great cleanser of the human face! 

Thy potent art removes each stain 

From dirtiest mortal on this sphere mundane. 

'Tis sad to think thy mystic spell 

Can't penetrate within the shell, 

And to a soiled, perverted heart 

Cleanliness and purity impart. 

Thy subtle essence, heretofore confined 

In bars of Windsor toilet cakes refined; 

In Colgate's honey for the barber's brush, 

And shapeless masses much resembling slush, 

Has now, according to our evening sheet. 

Been found in ledges, known as "feet." 

To use the language of the Post, in fine. 

The great Appeal has found a mine; 

And having now much soap to spare, 

Soaps governors — sheriffs — ladies fair. 

How sad it is, with all this soap. 

To know there's not the slightest hope 

If all the Chinamen in town 

Should wash it up and wash it down. 

And scrub 'till it gave up the ghost. 

Of making clean the Evening Post." 

The effect of my shot was equal to a thirteen-inch 
shell in the camp of the enemy. The whole community 
laughed, and the Post left me studiously alone until the 
new editor came and relieved me. I had lots of fun out 
of the experiment, besides getting the magnificent com- 
pensation of twenty dollars a week for my services. I 
also had the gratification of knowing that the exciting 
question of "Who edits the Appeal?'' remained unan- 
swered until I answered it myself. 
24 



370 Tales of the Frontier. 



THE INK-PA-DU-TA WAR. 

ALL old settlers will remember what in the history of 
Minnesota is known as ''The Ink-pa-dti-ta War." It 
occurred in 1857, and, briefl}^ described, was something 
like the following: Near the northwest corner of the 
State of Iowa, in the county of Dickinson, and near the 
southwest corner of the State of Minnesota, in the coun- 
ty of Jackson, there are two large and very beautiful 
lakes, called Spirit lake and Lake Okoboji. The coun- 
try about these lakes is surpassingly beautiful and fruit- 
ful, and naturally attracted settlers in a very early day. 
In 1855 and 1857 a few families settled on a small river 
which heads in Minnesota and flows southward into 
Iowa, called in English Rock river, and in Sioux In-yan- 
yan-ke. In 1856 Hon. William Freeborn of Red Wing, 
Minn., started a settlement at Spirit lake, and near the 
same time another location was made about ten or fif- 
teen miles north of Spirit lake, and called Springfield. 

There was a small band of Indians, numbering ten or 
fifteen lodges, under the chieftainship of Ink-pa-du-ta, 
or the "Scarlet Point," which had for long years fre- 
quented the region of the Vermillion river, and although 
Sioux, they had become separated from the bands that 
made treaties with the United States in 1851, and were 
regarded as outlaws and vagabonds. This band had 
planted in the neighborhood of Spirit lake prior to 1857, 
and ranged the country from there to the Missouri. 

Early in March, 1857, these Indians were hunting in 
the neighborhood of Rock river settlement, and got 
into a row with the white people from some trivial cause. 



Tales of the Frontier. 371 

and the treatment they received greatly angered them. 
They proceeded north and massacred all the people at the 
Spirit lake and Okoboji settlements, except four women, 
whom they captured and carried off with them. They 
then attacked the settlers at Springfield, and killed most 
of them. The result of the massacre was forty-two 
white people killed and four white women taken as cap- 
tives. 

I was then United States agent for the Sioux, and 
the news of the trouble reached me at my agency, on the 
Minnesota river, early in March, 1857, by two young 
men, who had escaped, and had travelled all the way on 
foot through the deep snow, a distance of nearly one 
hundred miles. Although the air was always full of ru- 
mors of Indian troubles in those days, I was convinced 
that the news brought by these boys was true, so I made 
a requisition on Colonel Alexander of the Tenth United 
States Infantry, stationed at Fort Ridgely, for troops, 
and he sent me Company "A," commanded by Captain 
Barnard E. Bee and Lieutenant Murray. I suppHed 
guides and interpreters from my Indians, and after a 
most laborious and painful roundabout march of many 
days, we reached the scene of the troubles, only to find, 
as I fully expected, the Indians gone. The dead were 
buried, and the troops, after remaining for some time, 
returned to the fort. 

Now comes the most interesting part of the incident. 
The captured women were Mrs. Noble, Mrs. Thatcher, 
Mrs. Marble and Miss Gardner. The legislature of the 
territory was in session, and the news of the event soon 
reached St. Paul, and, as might be expected, created 
great excitement, and, of course, the principal interest 
centered in the rescue of the prisoners. All the legis- 
lature could do was to appropriate money to defray the 



372 Tales of the Frontier. 

expenses of the undertaking, and as nobody knew what 
to do or how to do it, they appropriated $10,000 and 
wisely left the whole matter to Governor Medary, who 
was then the governor of the territory, with full power 
to do what he thought best about it. He, being a prac- 
tical man, and having no idea at all of how to proceed in 
the matter, very sensibly turned the whole business over 
to me, with carte blanche to do whatever I thought best. 
An accident controlled the situation, and shaped fu- 
ture events. Two of my Indians, who had been hunting 
on the Big Sioux river, heard that Ink-pa-du-ta was en- 
camped at Skunk lake, about seventy-five miles west of 
Spirit lake, and had some white captives in his camp; 
so they went to see him, and succeeded in purchasing 
Mrs. Marble, for whom they paid horses and rifles, and 
whatever they had, and brought her into the Yellow 
Medicine agency and delivered her to me. I paid them 
$500 each for their services, and immediately sent out 
another expedition to try to rescue the other captives. 
I say I paid these two Indians $500 each. The fact is, 
I could raise but $500 in money on the reservation, 
which I gave them, and resorted to a financial scheme 
to get the rest, which has since become quite the fashion 
when people or communities are short. I issued a ter- 
ritorial bond, and as it is the first government bond that 
ever was issued in all the country that lies between the 
Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains, I give it in full. 

"I, Stephen R. Riggs, missionary among the Sioux 
Indians, and I, Charles E. Flandrau, United States In- 
dian agent for the Sioux, being satisfied that Mak-pi-ya- 
ka-ho-ton and Si-ha-ho-ta, two Sioux Indians, have 
performed a valuable service to the Territory of Min- 
nesota and humanity, by rescuing from captivity Mrs. 



Tales of the Frontier. 373 

Margaret Ann Marble, and delivering her to the Sioux 
agent, and being further satisfied that the rescue of the 
two remaining white women who are now in captivity 
among Ink-pa-du-ta's band of Indians depends much 
upon the liberality shown towards the said Indians who 
have recovered Mrs. Marble, and having full confidence 
in the humanity and liberality of the Territory of Min- 
nesota, through its government and citizens, have this 
day paid to the two said above named Indians, the sum 
of five hundred dollars in money, and do hereby pledge 
to said two Indians that the further sum of five hundred 
dollars will be paid to them by the Territory of Minne- 
sota or its citizens within three months from the date 
hereof. 

"Dated May 22nd, 1857, at Pa-ju-ta Zi-zi, M. T. 

"STEPHEN R. RIGGS, 
"Missionary A. B. C. F. M. 

"CHAS. E. FLANDRAU, 

"U. S. Indian Agent for Sioux." 

This bond differed materially from some that were 
issued by Minnesota afterwards, in being paid promptly 
at maturity. 

My expedition brought in Miss Gardner, but Mrs. 
Noble and Mrs. Thatcher were killed before relief 
reached them. 

All this occurred before I heard of the action of the 
legislature, and was done wholly on my individual re- 
sponsibility. I, however, reimbursed myself for the out- 
lay from the state funds, and covered the balance of the 
appropriation into the treasury. 

Very shortly after the rescue of Miss Gardner, while 
at the Redwood agency, I received a note from Sam 
Brown, a trader at Yellow Medicine, by an Indian 



374 Tales of the Frontier. 

courier, which informed me that Ink-pa-dti-ta and sev- 
eral of his band were at the Yellow Medicine river, I at 
once determined to kill or capture them, and sent word 
back that I would be on hand with a proper force on the 
morning of the second day, and that he must send an 
Indian who knew where to find them, who would meet 
me at midnight on the top of a butte half way between 
the Redwood and Yellow Medicine rivers, and guide me 
in, 

I then made a requisition for troops on the com- 
mander of the post at Ridgely, who sent me a lieuten- 
ant and fifteen men. It chanced to be Lieutenant Mur- 
ray, who had accompanied the expedition to Spirit lake. 
While waiting for the soldiers, I raised a volunteer force 
of about twenty men, among whom was a son of the 
celebrated electrician, Professor Morse, and some other 
young gentlemen who were visiting the agency, all of 
whom insisted on going for the fun of the thing. The 
balance consisted of employes, most of whom were half- 
breeds. The soldiers arrived about five o'clock in the 
afternoon, and I put them in wagons. I mounted my 
squad on good horses, and every man was furnished 
with a double-barrelled shotgun and a revolver. We 
started about dark, and at midnight arrived at the butte. 
I galloped to the top of it, and found sitting there in the 
most composed manner possible smoking his pipe, An- 
pe-tu-toka-sha, or John Otherday, who had been deputed 
by Brolvn to guide us in. He said he knew where we 
could find the enemy, and indicated six lodges standing 
together about four miles above the Yellow Medicine 
Agency, on the open prairie. He left the road, and 
guided us through the open country to a point on the 
river about a mile below the lodges, they being on the 
other side of the river. We arrived at about four o'clock 



Tales of the Frontier. 375 

in the morning, just as the light of day was breaking. 
It was an engrossing study to observe how skillfully he 
kept us concealed from view of the enemy, by keeping 
rolls of the prairie between us. All his movements were 
like those of a wary animal, stealthy and noiseless. The 
fact is, the education of a savage is learned from the wild 
animals on which he lives, and that is what makes him 
such a good hunter and fighter. 

The river, with a narrow stretch of bottom land and 
a bluff of about thirty feet in height, lay between us and 
the plateau on which was the camp where Ink-pa-du-ta 
was supposed to be. Here we formed our plan of at- 
tack. As soon as we crossed and attained the high 
prairie, and located the enemy, we were to divide our 
force into two squads, one of which was to be the sol- 
diers and the other the mounted men. The soldiers 
were to double-quick up the edge of the bluff, to inter- 
cept a retreat into the river bottom, while the mounted 
men took the open prairie to cut off escape in the other 
direction. Lieutenant Murray was to lead the soldiers 
and I the horsemen. I said to Otherday and my inter- 
preter: "How are we to know the guilty parties?"' 
The answer was : "Whoever runs from the camp you 
may be sure of." 

The scene presented when we reached the high land 
was beautiful, inspiring, and frightfully alarming. As 
far as the eye could reach there was an unbroken camp 
of savages, not less than eight or ten thousand of them, 
representing all the Indians of my upper bands, and 
those from the Missouri who always visited us at pay- 
ment time. I knew many of them were relatives of Ink- 
pa-du-ta and his people, and most of them his friends, 
but there was no time for balancing chances, and, at the 
word, away we went for the enemy's camp, which was 



376 Tales of the Frontier. 

the farthest up the river of them all. The night had been 
very hot, and, as is the custom, the tepees had been 
rolled up at the bottom, to allow a free circulation of air, 
which, of course, allowed the inmates an open view of 
the prairie. When my squad got within about two or 
three hundred yards of the lodges a young Indian, hold- 
ing the hand of a squaw and carrying a double-barrelled 
shotgun, sprang out, and made for the river bluff as fast 
as his legs would carry him. All the soldiers fired at 
him, but he did not seem to be hit, and disappeared 
among the chaparral in the bottom. We surrounded 
him. He fired four shots, and each time I looked to see 
a man fall, but only one shot was effective, and that 
struck the cartridge box of a young soldier, turning it 
completely inside out, but without injuring the wearer. 
Whenever he shot, we poured a volley into the place 
indicated by the smoke, and succeeded in kilHng him. 
We took his squaw and put her into one of the wagons, 
more for the purpose of identifying the man than any- 
thing else, and started down the river towards the 
agency. We had to pass through the heart of all these 
camps, and the squaw yelled as only a scared squaw can. 
The savages swarmed about our party by the hundreds 
and thousands, threatening vengeance, and flourishing 
their guns in a blood-curdling manner. A shot from 
one of them, or from one of us, would have sent us all 
into heaven in less than a moment. The shot was not 
fired, and we succeeded in reaching the agency in safe- 
ty. I have always attributed our escape to the moral 
force of the government that was behind us. 

At the agency there were great log buildings, in 
which we fortified ourselves. I sent a courier to Fort 
Ridgely for reenforcements. The commanding offtcer 
sent us the old Sherman Buena Vista Batterv, which as- 
sisted us in letting go and getting out. 



Tales of the Frontier. 377 

The Indian we killed turned out to be the eldest son 
of Ink-pa-du-ta, who was one of the head devils in the 
Spirit lake massacre. He had ventured in to see his 
sweetheart, and was the only one of the gang- that was 
present when we made our attack. 

The question has often been asked, why the govern- 
ment allowed the massacre to go unpunished. Colonel 
Alexander of the Tenth and I had a plan by which we 
would have destroyed Ink-pa-du-ta and his band with- 
out a doubt, but just at the moment of putting it into 
execution an order came for all the companies of the 
Tenth at Ridgely to leave at once for Fort Bridger, in 
Utah, to join the expedition under General Albert Syd- 
ney Johnson, against the Mormons, and that was the 
end of it. 

Our raid was about as foolhardy and reckless a one 
as ever was undertaken, and our escape can only be 
credited to providence or good luck. 



378 Tales of the Frontier. 



MUSCULAR LEGISLATION. 

MY attention was once arrested by a short editorial, 
under the caption of "Gold Lace Lawmaking," 
which recalled an amusing incident in my experience 
that occurred in 1856. The editorial said: "When the 
lawmakers of the province of Manitoba met at Winni- 
peg, the occasion was something to impress the voter. 
The Royal Canadian Dragoons paraded, and the Thir- 
teenth field battery roared a salute. Mark the contrast. 
On one side of the line, ceremony, gold lace and honor. 
On the other, nothing but a few clean collars and a 
camp-fire of the bobby." 

It is not my intention to discuss the question of 
which is the better method, but to relate an incident 
which will cast some light on the views people of the two 
sections take of legislative etiquette and ceremony, and 
the slight effect such ideas have on the practical subject 
of legislation and the conduct of the legislators. 

In the year 1856 I was elected by the people of the 
Minnesota valley to the territorial council, which cor- 
responds to the state senate under our present pohtical 
organization. At the same election a neighbor of mine, 
George McLeod, was elected to the house of representa- 
tives from the same district. George was a Scotch Can- 
adian, who had passed his life in that part of Canada 
where French is the dominant language, and it had be- 
come his most familiar tongue. He was a giant in build, 
being much over six feet in height, and correspondingly 
powerful. He was red headed, and although well edu- 
cated, preferred his fists to any other weapons in argu- 



Tales of the Frontier. 379 

merit, and generally carried his points. He was fond of 
good horses, boasted of his skill as a hunter, and pos- 
sessed all the requisites of a successful frontiersman. He 
added to these accomplishments an extensive knowledge 
of Scotch poetry and a varied repertoire of choice songs, 
which he sang on all appropriate occasions. On the 
whole, George might be classified as an all around good 
fellow. Another attribute which I must not forget to 
mention was, that he was the brother of one of our most 
distinguished first settlers, Martin McLeod, who was a 
member of the first territorial council, which convened in 
1849, ^^d also the brother of Rev. Norman McLeod, a 
plucky Presbyterian preacher, who settled in Salt Lake 
City in the fifties, and preached the Gentile religion when 
Mormonism was at its height and its disciples were in 
the habit of kiUing people who differed from them. 

After the excitement of the election was over, George 
naturally began to reflect upon his exalted position, and, 
of course, all his conclusions were reached from a Cana- 
dian point of view. Feeling a little doubt on some ques- 
tions, he decided to consult me, supposing I was more 
familiar with the American way of doing things than he 
possibly could be ; so one day he came to see me on the 
all-engrossing subject. We found each other in the regu- 
lation costume of the country, which consisted of blue 
flannel shirts, cheap slop-shop trowsers. Red River moc- 
casins, and the whole finished off with a scarlet Hud- 
son's Bay or a variegated Pembina sash, all of which was 
picturesque, but carried with it no semblance of preten- 
tious aristocracy. I welcomed George with great cordi- 
ality, and he at once opened his budget. He said: 
''Flaundreau," giving my name the full French pronun- 
ciation, "when we get down to parliament, we will have 
to set up a coach." My surprise may be well imagined, 



380 Tales o? the Frontier. 

when I tell you a journey of a hundred miles on foot was 
to either of us no unusual event, and that neither Mc- 
Leod nor I had been the owner of a boot or a shoe for 
several years. I, however, restrained my astonishment, 
and asked : "What makes you think so?" His reply 
was, that it was entirely inadmissible for a member of 
parliament to walk from his hotel to the parliament 
house or to ride in a public conveyance. The question 
of British or Canadian etiquette flashed upon me, and 
explained McLeod's meaning; but it required an im- 
mense efifort on my part to control my laughter, when I 
had fully taken in the ludicrous features of the proposi- 
tion. I would no more have given way to my inclina- 
tions, however, than I would have yielded to the same 
desire when some ridiculous event happens at an official 
Indian council. The picture of a coach with liveried 
coachman and footman driving up to the door of the old 
American House in St. Paul, and two half-savage look- 
ing men, shod in moccasins, cHmbing into it, to be trans- 
ported three or four blocks to the old capitol, with a 
gaping crowd of half-breeds and ruffianly spectators 
looking on in amazement, passed before my mind, and 
made me wonder what would be the result of such a 
phenomenal spectacle; but I simply said: "We had 
better wait until we get there, and see what the other fel- 
lows do ; but there is one thing I can promise you, and 
that is, that our district shall not fall behind any of the 
rest of them if it takes a coach and six to hold it up." 

When we arrived at the parliament, of course Mc- 
Leod's ideas of etiquette and good form met with a rude 
check, and that was the last I ever heard of the subject. 

But it was not the last I heard of my colleague. 
His convivial and belligerent characteristics led him into 
all sorts of scrapes. He was, however, usually quite 



Tales of the Frontier. 381 

competent to take care of himself, and we each followed 
our own trails without interference, until some political 
question of more than ordinary interest came up in the 
house, and an evening session was agreed upon for its 
discussion. McLeod was to speak on the subject, and 
he spent nearly all day in preparation, which consisted in 
dropping in at old Caulder's, a brother Scotchman, 
about every hour and taking a drink, so when the time 
arrived he was loaded to the guards with inspiration. 

In the old capitol the halls of legislation were on the 
second floor, the house on one side and the council on 
the other, with an open hall between them and a stair- 
way leading up from below. The height between the 
floors was about sixteen feet. It had been arranged that 
a keg of whisky should be put into the council chamber, 
to be presided over by the sergeant-at-arms of the coun- 
cil, who was an enormous man, larger even than Mc- 
Leod. 

The hour arrived, a large party attended the debate, 
among whom were Joe Rolette and I, many ladies also 
gracing the occasion. McLeod spoke, and after he had 
finished, he sauntered over to the council chamber to re- 
fresh himself. While the custodian of the keg was get- 
ting him a drink, McLeod asked if he had heard his 
speech, and how he liked it. The sergeant ventured a 
not very flattering criticism on some remark he had 
made, when George slapped him viciously across the face 
with a pair of buckskin gauntlets he held in his hand. 
He had hardly struck the blow, when the sergeant seized 
him, and rushed him across the hall to the railing around 
the staircase, reaching which, over McLeod went back- 
wards to the bottom, sixteen feet below, with a crash 
that could be heard all over the building. In a moment 
or two, my friend, Joe Rolette, came running breath- 



382 Tales op the Frontier. 

lessly to me, and gasped out, "Hiawatha, Hiawatha" 
[the name he always called me], "McLeod is dead." 1 
sprang to my feet, and rushed down stairs, where I found 
McLeod laid out on a lounge in the office of the secre- 
tary of the territory, with Doctor Le Boutillier, a French 
member from St. Anthony, endeavoring to pacify him. 
The conversation ran as follows : 

Doctor : "Georges, mon ami ; ne bouge pas, tu a le 
bras casse." 

McLeod : "Fiche-Moi la paix, on peut courber le 
bras a un Ecossais ; on ne peut pas le lui casser." 

Which translated would read : 

"George, my friend, be quiet, your arm is broken." 

"Stand aside, you may bend a Scotchman's arms, but 
you can't break them." 

Poor McLeod's right arm was broken badly, which 
laid him up until the end of the session. 

A short time after the legislature had dissolved 
George was standing in a saloon on Third street, with 
his right arm in a sling, and a glass of whisky in his left 
hand, which he was about to drink, when who should 
walk in but the big sergeant. Without a word George 
discharged the contents of his glass into the face of the 
sergeant, and prepared for battle, crippled as he was ; but 
the interruption of friends and the chivalry of the ser- 
geant prevented an encounter, and so ended the legisla- 
tive career of the gentleman from Canada. Whether it 
would have terminated otherwise had we set up our 
coach and livery and changed our moccasins for patent 
leather boots I leave to the decision of the reader. 

He went Avith General Sibley's command to the Mis- 
souri, where I believe he remained. 



Tales of the Frontier. 883 



THE VIRGIN FEAST. 



IN all ages, and among all people who had progressed 
beyond absolute individualism and gained any kind of 
government or community interests, there must have 
been some kind of law to settle disputes and controver- 
sies, whether of a public or private nature, and I remem- 
ber once, in the very early days of Minnesota, of witness- 
ing a test which bore a close resemblance to a trial by 
jury, and involved an important question of individual 
character which would have been classified under our 
jurisprudence as an action of slander. It occurred 
among the Sioux Indians, and presented many features 
of much interest that made an impression on me which 
I have never forgotten. The whole proceeding was ab- 
solutely natural and aboriginal in its character and con- 
duct, and free from the technicalities which sometimes 
obstruct the progress of the administration of justice in 
modern times. 

It is well known that the value of the testimony of a 
witness depends very much upon his demeanor and man- 
ner of delivering it in court, and that the judge usually 
tells the jury that they must take these matters into con- 
sideration in giving it its true weight; but in the case I 
am about to relate there was nothing but the appear- 
ance and manner of the witnesses testifying upon which 
to base a judgment of their truth or falsity, and it was 
this novel feature that lent additional and peculiar inter- 
est to the controversy. 

The Sioux Indians have a rude kind of jurisprudence 
which gets at the truth by a sort of natural intuition, and 
the case I witnessed convinced me that justice had been 
reached with more certainty than in nine out of ten of 
our jury trials. We have all heard of trial by battle, un- 



384 Tales op the Frontier. 

der the old English law, and the trial of witches by wa- 
ter, where, if they sank and drowned they were innocent, 
and if they floated they were guilty and were hanged. 
But this trial was based on public sentiment or the ability 
of bystanders to detect guilt or innocence from the ap- 
pearance and conduct of the litigants during the trial, 
which, although a crude method, is, in my judgment, 
much safer than some of those practised by our ancestors 
at no very remote date. 

The trial I refer to is called the "Virgin Feast." It 
is brought about in this way: Some gossip or scandal 
is started in a band about one of the young women. It 
reaches the ears of her mother. In order to test its truth 
or falsity, the mother commands her daughter to give a 
"Virgin Feast." The accused cooks some rice, and in- 
vites all the maidens of the band to come and partake. 
They appear, each with a red spot painted on each cheek, 
as an emblem of virginity. They seat themselves in a 
semi-circle on the prairie, and the hostess supplies each 
of them with a bowl of rice which is set before her. A 
boulder, painted red, is placed in front of them, about ten 
feet distant, and a large knife is thrust into the ground 
in front of, and close up to, the stone. All the young 
men attend as spectators. This ceremony is, on the part 
of the accused and any girl who takes a place in the ring, 
a challenge to the world, that, if any one has aught to say 
against her, he has the privilege of saying it. If nothing 
is said, and the feast is eaten uninterruptedly, the maiden 
who gave the feast is vindicated, and the gossip disbe- 
lieved; but if the challenge is taken up by any young 
buck, he steps forward and seizes the girl he accuses by 
the hand, pulls her out of the ring, and makes his 
charges. She has the right of swearing on the stone 
and knife to her innocence, which goes a great way in 
her vindication, but is not conclusive. If she swears. 



Tales of the Frontier. 385 

and he persists, an altercation ensues, and public senti- 
ment is formed on view of the contestants' actions. 

I remember once, at one of these trials, of seeing- a 
young fellow of about twenty-five, step forward and 
rudely grasp the hand of a girl of about sixteen, jerk her 
to her feet, and make some scandalous charge against 
her. The look she gave him was so full of righteous in- 
dignation, scorn and offended virtue that no one could 
see it without being at once enlisted in her favor. She 
glared on him for a moment, with a look that only out- 
raged innocence can assume, when shouts went up from 
the crowd, "Swear ! Swear !" She approached the stone 
with the bearing of a princess, and placed her hand upon 
it with an air that could not be mistaken ; then throwing 
a look of triumph at the spectators, she strode back to 
face her accuser with the confidence that bespeaks inno- 
cence. The fellow began to weaken, and in less than a 
moment was in full flight with a howling mob after him, 
hurling sticks and stones at him with no gentle intent. 
He disappeared, and the girl took her place in the ring 
as fully vindicated as if the lord chief justice of England 
had decided her case. I recollect very distinctly that my 
convictions of her innocence induced by the general fea- 
tures of the trial and conduct of the litigants were as 
strong as any member of the court. 

It probably would not do to depend upon such evi- 
dence in the more complicated affairs of civilized life, 
and with a people educated in dissimulation and the con- 
trol of the emotions, but with a simple and natural peo- 
ple I don't believe many mistakes were made in arriving 
at just judgments. 

"Innocence unmoved 
At a false accusation doth the more 
Confirm itself; and guilt is best discover'd 
By its own fears." 
25 



386 Tales of the Frontier. 



THE ABORIGINAL WAR CORRESPONDENT. 

FROM the earliest days of recorded history man has 
regarded his prowess in war as the inost valuable 
of his exploits, ^nd success in Avar has generally been 
measured by the number of slain on the battlefield. I 
don't know how the facts were arrived at in ancient 
times, and whether or jiot they had war correspond- 
ents who followed the armies and reported their do- 
ings I can't say, but as the art of printing was un- 
known, and the means of communication were very 
limited, it seems doubtful if the results were arrived at 
in that way. From what I know of human nature and 
character, I am convinced that, if the reports were 
made through the commanders in the field, the lists of 
the enemy slain may fairly be discounted about seventy- 
five per cent. Have we not had reports of the most ex- 
aggerated character as to the number of prisoners cap- 
tured and enemies killed so recently as our Civil War? 
And have we ever read of a battle with the Indians or 
other unciviHzed people where, after giving our own 
losses, we have not met with the old stereotyped report, 
"that the loss of the enemy was far greater, but as they 
always remove their dead and wounded, it is impossible 
to ascertain the exact number?" The wars now raging 
in the Philippines and Samoa form no exception to this 
familiar report. So far as our fights with the American 
Indians are concerned, I feel quite confident that, where 
we have killed one Indian, we have lost ten whites, 
take it through from the Atlantic to the Pacific ; but you 
can't figure out any such results from the reports which 



Tales of the Frontier. 387 

have made up history. The temptation to exaggerate 
for the purpose of hero-making and future poHtical 
preferment is too great to be resisted, and the conse- 
quence is that truth suffers amazingly. Perhaps it is 
better for mankind that the slaughter should be on pa- 
per, rather than in fact. 

Modern warfare has introduced the new element of 
the war correspondent. He is generally either a crea- 
ture of the commander, or desirous of flattering him for 
personal advantage or some other consideration, and he 
piles on the praises of the side he represents, diminishes 
the credit due the enemy, and resolves every doubt 
against him. 

Now the Indian has a way of arriving at the truth of 
such matters which is infinitely more satisfactory than 
that of his white brother. He knows just as well as any 
one what boasters all men are on matters relating to 
their own exploits, and especially those relating to war, 
and in order that there shall be no humbug about such 
matters, he will give no credence to any statement that 
is not accompanied by the most irrefragable proof. 
When a warrior comes home and says, "I killed six ene- 
mies on my last raid," he is confronted with the demand 
to produce his evidence, and the only evidence admissi- 
ble is the scalps of the dead enemies. Should he make 
such an assertion without the proof, he would be laughed 
out of the camp as a silly boaster. 

Most people think the practice of scalping an enemy, 
generally indulged in by the Sioux, is a wanton desire 
cruelly to mutilate the foe. Such is not the case at all ; 
he is prompted solely by the desire of procuring proof of 
his success, and he will take more chances to get a scalp 
than he would for any other object in life. Among the 
Sioux, and I believe most of the tribes of North Ameri- 



388 Tale;s of the Frontier. 

ca, for every enemy killed a warrior is entitled to wear 
a head-dress with an eagle feather in it, which to him 
fills the same place in his character and reputation as the 
Victoria cross or the medal of the legion of honor, or 
any other of the numerous decorations bestowed upon 
white men for deeds of bravery and honor ; and to gain 
this distinction he is moved by the same impulse that 
actuated Hobson in sinking the Merrimac in the harbor 
of Santiago, or the actors in the thousand and one dar- 
ing deeds in which men in all ages have freely risked 
their lives. 

Scalping is an art, and the manner in which it is 
done, depends wholly upon the circumstances of the oc- 
casion. A complete and perfect scalp embraces the 
whole hair of the head, with a margin of skin all round 
it about two and a half inches in width, including both 
ears with all their ornaments. This can only be obtained 
when the victor has abundant time to operate leisurely. 
When he is beset by the enemy, all he can do, as a gen- 
eral thing, is to seize the hair with the left hand and hold 
up the scalp with it and then give a quick cut with his 
knife, and get as big a piece as he can. By this hurried 
process he rarely gets a piece larger than a small saucer, 
and generally not bigger than a silver dollar; but no 
matter how small it may be, it entitles him to his feather. 
Among the Sioux the killing of a full grown grizzly bear 
is equivalent to the killing of an enemy, and entitles the 
victor to the same decoration. I have known Indians 
who wore as many as sixteen feathers. 

It is not alone the importance that these decorations 
give the wearer which enters into their value. When he 
returns from the war path, bearing scalps, he is received 
by all his band with demonstrations of the greatest pride 
and honor. If you can imagine Dewey landing at New 



Tales of the Frontier. 389 

York from the Philippines, you can form some idea of 
the honors that would be heaped upon a victorious sav- 
age. If the weather is pleasant, he strips to the waist, 
and paints his body jet black. He places on the top of 
his head a round ball of pure white swan's down, about 
the size of a large orange, and takes in his hand a staff, 
about five feet long, with a buckskin fringe tacked on to 
the upper three feet of it. On the end of each shred of 
the fringe is a piece of a deer's hoof, forming a rattle, 
by striking together when shaken up and down. When 
arrayed in this manner he marches up and down the vil- 
lage, recounting in a sort of a chant the entire history 
of the events of the raid on the enemy, going into the 
most minute details, and indulging in much imagination 
and superstition. He tells what he dreamed, what ani- 
mals he saw, and how all these things influenced his con- 
duct. He continues this ceremony for days and days, 
and is the admiration of all his people. I have seen four 
or five of them together promenading in this way, and 
have taken an interpreter and marched with them by the 
hour listening to their stories. 

When this part of the performance is over, the scalps 
are tanned by the women, as they would tan a buffalo- 
skin, the inside painted red, and the whole stretched on 
a circular hoop, about the size of a barrel hoop, to which 
is attached a straight handle, about four feet long, so 
that it can be carried in the air above the heads of the 
people. It is also decorated with all the trinkets found 
on the person of the slain. 

Then begins the dancing. When night comes the 
men arrange themselves in two lines, about fifteen feet 
apart, facing each other, all provided with tom-toms, and 
musical instruments of all kinds known to the savage. 
When everything is ready, they sing a kind of a weird 



390 Tales of the Frontier. 

chant, keeping time with the instruments and their feet. 
Then the squaws, with the scalps held aloft, dance in be- 
tween the lines of men from opposite directions, until 
they meet, when they chasse to the right and left, then 
dance back and forward again, every once in a while 
emitting a sharp little, screech which I have never known 
to be successfully imitated. During the dance, the men 
join in a kind of shuffle from right to left, and back 
again, keeping the music going all the time. The whole 
performance is one of the most savage and weird cere- 
monies I have ever witnessed. It is kept up for weeks. 

It was a frequent amusement for half a dozen of us 
to throw blankets over our heads, and join in the dance 
for half an hour or so. I have been lulled to sleep many 
times by this wild music, heard from a distance of half a 
mile, on a still night. 

It was supposed that when the scalp was taken while 
the leaves were on the trees, it was danced over until 
they fell, and then buried, and when taken in winter it 
was buried when the leaves came in the spring, but I 
never was quite sure about this. I wanted one very 
much once, and a party of us Went in the night just back 
of St. Peter, where we supposed they had been buried, 
and dug for them, and to our horror struck the toes of a 
dead Indian. That cured my desire in this direction. 



Tales of the Frontier 391 



BRED IN THE BONE. 

IN the early days of what is now Minnesota there were 
twofamihes of missionaries livinganiong the Sioux of 
the Mississippi, who, Hke many of their profession, de- 
voted their whole lives to spreading the gospel of Christ 
among the savages. They were those of Dr. William- 
son and the Rev. Stephen R. Riggs, both of whom had 
lived with these Indians long before I came among 
them. When I first became connected with these In- 
dians I found the missionaries comfortably installed 
at the Yellow Medicine agency, with quite a village 
around them. They had dwelling houses, and a com- 
modious schoolhouse, where they took Indian children 
at a very early age, with a view of civilizing and 
Christianizing them. They had also a very pretty 
church, with a steeple on it, and a bell in the steeple, 
and all the other buildings necessary for the complete 
and efficient operation of their laudable undertaking. 
They were full of zeal and enthusiasm in the cause, and 
had progressed to a point where it looked to an outsider 
as if success was only a question of a short time, if it was 
not already an accompHshed fact. The Bible had been 
translated into the Sioux language, and they had hymn 
books and catechisms in the same language. They had 
learned to speak Sioux thoroughly, and could preach 
and sing in that language. Many is the time I have at- 
tended church at the little meeting house, and heard the 
simple old Presbyterian hymns sung to the tunes that 
have resounded for generations through the meeting 
houses of New England. It was a most solemn and im- 
pressive spectacle, in the heart of the Indian country, to 



392 Tales op the Frontier. 

see a Christian church filled with devout worshippers all 
in the costume of savagery, and to listen to the oft-told 
story of the Saviour who died that man might live. Such 
a scene carries with it a much more convincing proof of 
the universality of the Christian religion than a church 
full of fashionably dressed people in a great city. It 
suggests its limitless application to all the human race, 
even if dwelling in the remotest part of the earth. 

The experience of these good missionaries had 
taught them that civilization was the most potent auxil- 
iary to religion, and, for the success of either, the other 
was a necessary aid and adjunct when dealing with these 
primitive people. So they set themselves to work to 
devise plans to instill into the Indians the elemental prin- 
ciples of government based on law. They organized a 
little state or community among them, through which 
they endeavored to prove to them the advantages of civ- 
ilized rule through the agency of officers of their own 
choice and laws of their own making. They called their 
state "The Hazelwood Repubhc," which embraced all 
the missionary establishment, and all the Indians they 
could induce to unite in the enterprise. They drew a 
written constitution, the provisions of which were to 
govern and direct the conduct of the members and the 
workings of the community. Of course, the fundainen- 
tal principles upon which the whole fabric rested were 
similar to those taught by the ten commandments. The 
Indians, with the advice of the missionaries, elected a 
president for the young republic, and the choice fell upon 
a wise and upright man, about fifty years of age, whose 
name was Ma-za-cu-ta-ma-mi, or "The man who shoots 
metal as he walks," and to give the matter a more pro- 
nounced ecclesiastical aspect, they added a scriptural 
name by way of a prefix to the names of all the officers. 



Tales of the Frontier. 393 

For instance, they called the president, Paul Ma-za-cu- 
ta-ma-mi, and one of the deacons, Simon Ana-wang-ma- 
ni, which means "The rnan who can keep up with any 
moving object;" or, as things turned out in the end, it 
could well have been translated into the "Fast Man." 

The first act necessary for initiation as a citizen 
of the republic was cutting off the long hair universally 
worn by the Sioux, and if any act could be taken as in- 
dicative of sincerity, this one seemed to be conclusive. 
It is quite as much of a sacrifice for an Indian to cut ofif 
his hair as it would be for a young lady in society pos- 
sessed of a splendid suit of hair to cut it of¥ short and ap- 
pear at a grand ball with her head thus denuded. 

The next step was to wear a hat, and exchange the 
breech-clout for pantaloons, and the blanket for a shirt 
or coat. Notwithstanding this terrible ordeal of nat- 
uraHzation, the population of the republic increased, and 
the church was well attended. The praying and singing 
was participated in quite generally by the members, and 
the future republic looked promising. One of the most 
exemplary citizens and devout worshippers was deacon 
Simon Ana-wang-ma-mi. He led in prayer, and labored 
heart and soul for the good of the republic pind the 
church. He was the last man that anyone would have 
expected to fall from grace, and no ,one ever thought of 
such a thing; but, strange as it may appear, he one day 
sought an interview with the missionaries, and an- 
nounced the astounding fact that an Indian who had 
killed his cousin some eight years before had returned 
from the Missouri river country, and he thought it was 
his duty to kill him in retaliation. The astonishment of 
the missionaries may be well imagined. They cited to 
him the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," and dwelt 
upon the awful sinfulness of such an act, and he would 



394 Tales of the Frontier. 

say, "I know what the Bible says, and I beheve in Sun- 
days, but he killed my cousin." Then they would attack 
him on the laws of the republic of which he was a high 
official, and dwell upon the dreadful example such an act 
would set before the brethren of the church, and he 
would reply, "Oh, yes ; I know all that ; but he killed my 
cousin." Then, in despair, they would tell him that he 
was no longer an Indian ; that he had become a white 
man, and the laws of the white man forbid such revenge. 
"I know all that," he would say, "but he killed my 
cousin." As a final resort, the faithful and believing 
missionaries concluded to call in the aid of heaven to as- 
sist them, and they prayed with Simon for hours, days 
and nights, in all of which he joined with fervor and 
unction ; but he could not divest himself of the all-per- 
vading idea that his cousin had been killed, and the sa- 
cred duty had devolved upon him to avenge his death. 
This behef had been born in him, and no religion of the 
white man could eradicate it. True to the creed of his 
ancestors, he got a double-barrelled shotgun and went 
out and killed his enemy. 

Of course, this murder opened up a new feud, array- 
ing relative against relative, and destroyed Simon's influ- 
ence as a deacon in the church and an officer of the re- 
public to such a degree as almost to destroy all the good 
that both had accomplished. I mention this incident to 
show what uncertain ground the missionaries find to 
sow the seeds of Christianity in when working among 
ravages. 

Notwithstanding such discouragements as the above, 
I believe much good was done through the efforts of the 
missionaries. In times of great trouble and excitement 
I always found the best friends of the whites among the 
Indians who had felt the enlightening influences of the 



Tales of the Frontier. 395 

missionaries, not excepting Simon, who with Paul, John 
Otherday, and many others, performed heroic services 
for the whites when friends were most needed; but I 
have never been able to settle the question in my mind 
as to whether any of them ever grasped the principles 
of the Christian religion. 

In 1862 the Sioux openly rebelled against the whites, 
and it was solely through the good offices of Otherday 
and Paul that these missionaries escaped massacre. All 
their buildings and their labor of long years were de- 
stroyed, and they were driven out of the country. Most 
people would have thought that they would have had 
enough of such a Hfe. I know I thought so, but not so 
with these devoted people. Shortly after the suppres- 
sion of the outbreak I met Dr. Williamson, and asked 
him what were his future intentions. Without the least 
hesitation he answered that he would look up the rem- 
nant of his tribe, and continue his work. 

All the heroes are not found in the ranks of the fight- 
ers. 



NOTE. — The reader of both the history and the frontier 
stories will notice that many of the facts stated in the history are 
repeated in the stories. I decided to insert both because the differ- 
ent way in which they are related led me to believe that the elim- 
ination of either would detract from the interest of the work. 

THE AUTHOR. 



396 Tales of the Frontier. 



AN ACCOMPLISHED RASCAL. 

IN the late fifties a young man of very attractive man- 
ners and extraordinary accomplishments appeared in 
St. Peter. His name was La Croix, or at least he said 
it was, and no questions were asked. We had not at 
that time acquired the habit of asking newcomers what 
names they went by in the States, as was the usual prac- 
tice in the early settlement of Texas and California. We 
were an unsuspicious people, and accepted those who 
settled among us for what they said they were and ap- 
peared to be. 

It was soon discovered that La Croix spoke French 
fluently; nearly all our first settlers were French. He 
said he learned it while living in New Orleans. He soon 
developed a large acquaintance with military matters, 
and we made him captain of our mihtia company (now 
the national guard), and he drilled us up to a high state 
of discipline and skill in company tactics and move- 
ments. I had the honor of being second lieutenant of 
the company. This art, he said, he acquired as sergeant 
of a company in the crack New York Seventh. 

He was a graceful and adroit fencer, and could ex- 
plain the difference between the French system and the 
American plan as taught at West Point. I learned both 
from him. His conversational powers and the extent of 
his general knowledge surpassed anything that ever 
graced the border. In a word, he possessed all the 
qualities, including personal beauty, that were necessary 
to make him a general favorite with both men and wo- 
men. He did not fail to improve all his advantages. 

He soon became the trusted bookkeeper for one of 



TaIvEs of the Frontier. 397 

our business concerns, courted and married a lovely 
young girl from a neighboring town, and settled down 
to a life of domestic felicity, esteemed by all, questioned 
by none. 

Shortly after his marriage the Civil War began, and 
in due course of time a baby was born to his house. 
Shortly after the latter event he announced that news 
had arrived that certain stock of the Chemical Bank, in 
New York, which he had inherited from his father, who 
had died in New Orleans, was in danger of confiscation 
by the federal government as rebel property, and he was 
obliged to go East and take care of it. He made the 
most elaborate preparations for the comfort of his wife 
and child during his absence, and departed. We gave 
him a splendid send-off, and several of us, I among the 
rest, entrusted him with commissions to perform for us 
in New York, and for a long time that was the last we 
heard of La Croix. 

Of course, there were many who said, "I told you 
so," but they had not done anything of the kind; we 
were all taken in without exception. His wife was the 
last to lose confidence in his return. I followed up 
every clue she could give me, but without results. He 
had disappeared as completely as if the ground had 
opened and swallowed him up, and we forgot him. 

The war was fought out, and peace returned. A 
Connecticut regiment, commanded by Colonel Brevet 
Brigadier General Thompson (I will call him that for 
certain reasons) was mustered out in one of the chief 
cities of that state, and nothing was too good for its gal- 
lant commander. He was sought after socially, and by 
the business community, and soon became as popular as 
La Croix had been in St. Peter. He married one of the 
most beautiful and aristocratic young ladies of the state. 



398 Tales of the Frontier. 

and was appointed to the position of general inspector 
of agencies of one of the great insurance companies of 
Connecticut, and he decided to improve the opportunit)'' 
of his first tour as a pleasant way of passing his honey- 
moon. So he started west with his confiding wife. 

I forgot to mention that, when La Croix reached St. 
Paul, after leaving St. Peter, he drew and cashed a small 
draft of a few hundred dollars on his employer, and ap- 
propriated the proceeds. 

Thompson's luck seemed to have deserted him on his 
wedding trip, as, on arriving at Cleveland, Ohio, a citi- 
zen of St. Peter met and recognized him as his old friend 
La Croix, and not knowing he was a brigadier general 
slapped him famiharly on the shoulder and said : "Hel- 
lo, La Croix ; I am glad to see you." The general was 
immensely indignant, and spurned his new found friend, 
which angered the latter exceedingly, and he at once 
telegraphed to St. Peter, and received a reply to have 
the party arrested and held, which he did. The general 
wired to his principals, setting forth his difficulty, saying 
it was all a case of mistaken identity. They instructed 
their agent in Cleveland to go General Thompson's bail 
for any amount required, which was done, and he at once 
started for home to procure evidence, leaving his wife 
to await his return, and that was the last seen of General 
Thompson for many years. I believe, however, he was 
once recognized in Vienna. 

Time passed; the West grew and expanded; many 
new states were added to the Union ; many immigrants 
were attracted to its fertile fields and booming cities, 
very few of their number hailing from either Minnesota 
or Connecticut. Among them, however, was a gentle- 
man of most attractive mien. He went into the real es- 
tate business, and greatly prospered. His varied ac- 



Tales of the Frontier. 399 

complishments soon made him the most popular man in 
his state. He united with the poHtical party which held 
the power. He married an attractive young woman, 
and settled down to a quiet and respectable domesticity. 
In the course of events a United States senator was to 
be elected, and what was more natural than that this in- 
telligent, respectable and popular citizen should be con- 
sidered a worthy candidate. The legislature convened, 
his prospects of election were more than promising, and 
he would undoubtedly have been chosen had not some 
meddlesome fellow recognized him as the long lost La 
Croix. Of course, he disappeared, and this time, perma- 
nently. 

The moral of this story is, that it is better, as a general 
thing, to find out what name people went by in the 
States before you either marry them or elect them to the 
United States senate. 



400 Tales of the Frontier. 



AN ADVOCATE'S OPINION OF HIS OWN ELO- 
QUENCE IS NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE. 

IN the early days of the territory a large part of the 
legal business arose out of misunderstandings about 
claim lines and the attempts of settlers to jump the 
claims of other people. These suits usually took the 
shape of trespass and forcible entry and detainer. In 
some instances they ripened into assaults and batteries, 
and were generally tried before justices of the peace. 
Nearly all the people were French, and that language 
was quite as usually spoken as English. The town of 
Mendota was almost exclusively French and half-breed 
Sioux, the latter speaking French if they deviated from 
their native tongue. One of our earliest lawyers was 
Jacob J. Noah, from New York. He was the son of a 
very celebrated journalist of that city, and was a very 
cultured and accomplished gentleman. He spoke 
French like a native, which, no doubt, had a good deal 
to do with his living at Mendota. That town boasted 
of a justice of the peace, who occupied an exalted posi- 
tion in the estimation of the French inhabitants, on ac- 
count of his learning and estabHshed character for jus- 
tice and fair dealing. He was a handsome old gentle- 
man, with white hair and beard and impressive judicial 
manner. About the year 1855, among the new arrivals 
in the legal fraternity, was Mr. John B. Brisbin, also 
from New York. He was a graduate of Yale, and ac- 
quainted with some of the leading lawyers in St. Paul, 
so his advent was announced with a good many flour- 
ishes, and he soon took a leading stand in the profession. 
Mr. Brisbin was a cultured and eloquent lawyer, and no 



Tales of the Frontier. 401 

one knew it better than himself. He settled in St. Paul. 
Soon after his arrival a controversy arose between a cou- 
ple of settlers in Dakota county about their claim boun- 
daries, and a suit was brought before the French justice 
at Mendota. Major Noah represented the plaintiff and 
the defendant employed Mr. Brisbin. It being Bris- 
bin's first appearance in court, he made extraordinary 
preparations, intending to create a favorable impression. 
He discovered some fault in the law of the plaintiff's 
case, and when the parties met in court, he demurred to 
the plaintiff's complaint, and made an exhaustive argu- 
ment in support of his position. He was fortified with 
numerous citations from English and New York cases, 
all of which he read to the court. When he would be- 
come particularly impressive, the court would evince 
signs of deep interest, which convinced the speaker that 
he was carrying everything before him. When he fin- 
ished his argument, he looked at his adversary with a 
confident and somewhat exultant expression, as if to 
say, "Answer that if you can." 

The major opened his case to the court in French, 
and had hardly begun before Mr. Brisbin interposed an 
objection, that he did not understand French, and that 
legal proceedings in this country had to be conducted in 
English. The major answered by saying: "I am only 
interpreting to the court what you have been saying." 
Mr. Brisbin indignantly replied: 'T don't want any in- 
terpretation of my argument; I made myself perfectly 
clear in what I said." "Oh, yes." said the major, "you 
made a very clear and strong argument; but his honor, 
the judge, does not understand a single word of Eng- 
lish," which was literally true. Tradition adds that 
when the court adjourned, the judge was heard to ask 
the major : "Est ce qu'il y a une femme dans cette cause 
la?" Whether the court decided the case on the theory 
of there being a woman in it or not, history has failed to 
record. 

2G 



402 Tales of the Fronttier. 



A MOMENTOUS MEETING. 

THE people of St. Paul have often been proud of a re- 
mark which was made by Hon. Wm. H. Seward, 
in a speech delivered by him in i860, at the old capitol 
on Wabasha street, where he said he believed that the 
center of power on the North American continent would 
be very near the spot where he stood. Everybody, 
while they liked the prediction, looked upon it as a pleas- 
ant way the speaker had of giving his hosts and St. Paul 
a little "taffy," and nothing more. Such, however, was 
not the case, and Mr. Seward, when he uttered the 
prophecy, was thoroughly impressed with the truth of 
what he said, as I will prove further on. 

This speech was delivered on the i8th of September, 
i860. If I remember correctly, Mr. Seward was on an 
electioneering tour in support of Lincoln's candidacy 
for the presidency, and that Hon. James W. Ney of New 
York, afterwards governor of Nevada, was of the party ; 
but I am not very sure of these facts, and they are not 
at all material to the point I am about to make. Mr. 
Seward stayed at the Merchant's Hotel, at the foot of 
Jackson street, kept by our well known host, Colonel 
Allen, while he remained in St. Paul. 

Many of the older settlers will remember James W. 
Taylor of St. Paul, who, for many years, represented the 
United States as consul at Winnipeg. Mr. Taylor was 
the most popular man in that city. He was not only 
esteemed for his superior ability as an official, but was 
beloved by all classes of the people for his gentle and 
genial manners. He was a great friend of Bishop An- 
derson of Rupert's Land, who, for twenty years, had 



Tales of the Frontier. 403 

performed the duties of missionary bishop of that far 
away country. He had travelled the McKenzie river to 
its mouth in the Arctic ocean. He had been all over 
Alaska, up and down the Yukon, and, in fact, knew more 
about the vast country that lies north and northwest of 
the United States than any living man at the date we 
are speaking of. It so happened that the bishop and 
Consul Taylor were on a visit to St. Paul at the time of 
the arrival of Mr. Seward, and were also guests at the 
Merchant's Hotel. They, of course, called on the dis- 
tinguished American, Mr. Seward, who became deeply 
interested in the conversation of the bishop about his 
travels through this vast upper region, and was so im- 
pressed with the immensity and future possibilities of the 
country that he forgot all about his appointment to 
speak at the capitol, and kept his audience waiting for 
nearly an hour before he could tear himself away from 
the fascination of the bishop's conversation. 

The topic Mr. Seward had selected for his speech 
was one in which he was profoundly interested. It was, 
"The Duty, Responsibility, and Future Power of the 
Northwest," which was a magnificent subject for discus- 
sion by such a thoughtful statesman. Before meeting 
Bishop Anderson, Mr. Seward had conceived certain 
theories on the question, as the quotation which I shall 
make from his speech clearly establishes, and that these 
preconceived ideas had been, by his intercourse with the 
bishop, radically changed, if not thoroughly overthrown, 
seems equally clear. It must be remembered that, in 
i860, very little was known about Alaska and the British 
possessions in the far northern regions, and it is quite 
possible that even a man of Mr. Seward's learning may 
not have included them in his calculations for the fu- 
ture. Of course, what he said about his preconceived 



404 Tales of the Frontier. 

conclusions, and the subsequent changes made in them, 
involved the fact of the absorption into the United 
States of the whole continent, which in all probabililv 
will happen at some future time. 

When Mr. Seward arrived at the capitol, he was in- 
troduced by John W. North, and, among other things, 
said: 

"In other days, studying what might perhaps have 
seemed to others a visionary subject, I have cast about 
for the future — the ultimate central power of the North 
American people. I have looked at Quebec and New 
Orleans, at Washington and at San Francisco, at Cin- 
cinnati and St. Louis, and it has been the result of my 
last conjecture that the seat of power of North America 
would yet be found in the Valley of Mexico, — that the 
glories of the Aztec capital would be renewed, and that 
city would become ultimately the capital of the United 
States of America. But I have corrected that view, 
and I now believe that the last seat of power on this 
great continent will be found somewhere within a radius 
of not very far from the very spot where I now stand, at 
the head of navigation on the Mississippi river and on 
the great Mediterranean lakes." 

When and where had this correction been made? 
Doubtless an hour before, at the Merchant's Hotel, 
through the influence of the interview with Bishop An- 
derson. While at the capitol they visited the rooms of 
the Historical Society, where the bishop made a short 
address to Mr, Seward, to which Mr. Seward responded. 
Now, all this might have happened, and been of no par- 
ticular interest to the world, except as a pleasant epi- 
sode between two distinguished men. But in this in- 
stance it turned out to be of vital importance to three 
of the greatest nations of the world. Mr. Seward was 



Tales of the Frontier. 405 

so deeply impressed with the St. Paul incident that, im- 
mediately after his return to Washington, he opened 
negotiations with the Russian government for the pur- 
chase of Alaska, and persistently carried them on, until 
he succeeded in acquiring that vast empire for a mere 
bagatelle of seven or eight millions of dollars. This re- 
markable prevision of Mr. Seward has stamped its effect 
on our present and future destiny and relations with 
England, Canada, Russia and perhaps all the nations of 
the Orient. Had not Mr. Seward visited St. Paul on 
that exact day, would this great change have been made 
in the map of North America? It certainly would not 
after the discovery of gold in Alaska. So I claim that 
Minnesota played an all-important role in the purchase 
of Alaska. 

Having spoken of my dear old friend, James W. Tay- 
lor, I cannot omit to mention a most touching tribute 
paid to his memory by the people of Winnipeg. The 
municipality has placed upon the walls of its city hall 
a fine portrait of the faithful consul, under which hangs 
a basket for the reception of flowers. Every spring each 
farmer entering the city plucks a wild flower, and puts it 
in the basket. The great love of a people could not be 
expressed in a more beautiful and pathetic manner, and 
no man was more worthy of it than Consul Taylor. 



406 Tales of the Frontier. 



PRIMITIVE JUSTICE. 

THE lands west of the Mississippi river, in Minnesota, 
were the property of the Sioux Indians until treaties 
were made with them in 1 851, by which they ceded them 
to the United States, but these treaties were not fully 
ratified until 1853, on account of amendments which de- 
ferred final action. But immigration was pouring into 
the territory, and it naturally found a lodgment on the 
west side of the river, from the Iowa line up to Fort 
Snelling, and gradually extended up the Minnesota river 
to Mankato. Of course, all the settlers on the Indian 
lands were trespassers, and as the lands were unsur- 
veyed, no claim rights could be acquired, but the settlers 
did the best they could to mark their claims, and gain 
what right they could by possession. The usual and 
best way of marking claim lines, was by running a plow 
furrow around the land. When the prairie was once 
broken, the line was indelible, because an entirely new 
growth would spring up in the furrow that never could 
be eradicated. 

In 1854 a law of congress was passed, by which set- 
tlers in Minnesota were given rights in unsurveyed 
lands, their claims to be adjusted to the surveyed lines, 
when they were run, "as near as may be." 

Of course, this condition of things gave rise to many 
disputes about claim lines and rights, and as there were 
no legal tribunals to appeal to, we organized claim asso- 
ciations to protect our rights. In my part of the territory 
we had an association that covered what is now Blue 
Earth, Nicollet and Le Sueur counties, and most of the 
actual settlers were members, and all were pledged to 



Tales of the Frontier. 407 

support each other against any one attempting to jump 
the claim of any member. Protection, of course, meant 
driving out the intruder and restoring the rightful owner 
to his possession. The means of reaching the object 
were not defined, but were understood to be adequate to 
the necessities of the occasion. 

I had made a claim on the second plateau, back of 
what afterwards became the town site of St. Peter, and 
Gibson Patch, the sheriff of Nicollet county, had settled 
on the adjoining quarter section. These claims covered 
the ground where the Scandinavian college now stands, 
called, I think, "Gustavus Adolphus." 

I was the president of the Nicollet county branch of 
the claim association. 

About 1855 the government survey lines were ex- 
tended over our lands, and we had to adjust our lines 
to those of the official surveys as best we could. It so 
happened that the established lines left the shanty of 
my neighbor, the sheriff, outside of the quarter section 
he had always claimed, and before he discovered this 
fact, a man designing to take advantage of the sherifif's 
peculiar situation, and intending to jump his claim, 
erected a shanty on his land and moved his family into 
it. It was soon discovered, and Patch notified the claim 
association, which immediately assembled and decided 
that the jumper must be ejected and banished from the 
county. It was winter time. A committee of one hun- 
dred and fifty was delegated to perform the work at a 
certain day and hour. The jumper heard of it, and in 
the morning of the day fixed, he prudently fled down 
the river. Being president of the association, it de- 
volved upon me to lead the party. We arrived at the 
house, and finding no opposition, we politely informed 
the family of our mission, and oiTered them confortable 
transportation to any point they would name for them- 
selves and their portable belongings, which they ac- 



408 Tales of the Frontier. 

cepted. We then burned the house, and appointed two 
committees of ten each to chase the jumper down each 
side of the river, with full discretion to punish him as 
they saw fit. They pursued him for about forty miles, 
and it was fortunate for the fugitive that they did not 
overtake him, because had they caught him after two 
p. m., I think they would have been in a condition of 
mind that would have resulted in his summary execu- 
tion. 

Of course, we thought no more about it, as matters 
of that kind were of frequent occurrence; but that was 
not the last of it. It turned out that the jumper was a 
Mason of high degree, and when he got to St. Paul he 
made a most pitiable complaint, charging me with de- 
stroying his home, and with attempting to murder him. 
I was a small Mason, and was cited before the lodge to 
defend myself. I simply denied the jurisdiction, and did 
not appear. I was tried, and triumphantly acquitted. 

On another occasion a claim was jumped in Le 
Sueur, just between upper and lower town, and the 
jumper had a great many friends who rallied to his de- 
fense. The associations of all three counties were called 
out, and wdien we appeared at Le Sueur, we found about 
seventy-five Irishmen, all well armed, camped on the 
contested claim ready to defend it to the death. We 
camped at a short distance, and negotiations were 
opened between the hostile armies, which finally resulted 
in some sort of a compromise, satisfactory to the con- 
testing parties, one of whom (the original claimant) was 
K. K. Peck, who was left in possession of the disputed 
territory. Mr. Peck laid his claim out into lots, and 
gave each one of the members of the association that 
had come to his rescue a deed for a lot, which we called 
a "land warrant," on account of services in the Peck- 
war; but before we could realize on our warrants, the 
government surveys located a school section on the bat- 
tle-field, and destroyed all our hopes. 



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